SEATTLE — A light plane departing Seattle’s Boeing Field with two people aboard crashed Wednesday night and struck an unoccupied aircraft, an airport spokeswoman said. Both planes caught fire but only minor injuries were reported.
Once airborne, the departing plane veered to the right and crashed about 7:30 p.m., said Rochelle Ogershok, an airport spokeswoman. She said both aircraft caught fire but airport firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.
Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore told KIRO-TV that a man and woman aboard the departing plane were taken to Harborview Medical Center with cuts and scratches.
They were described as a student pilot in his 20s and a female flight instructor in her early 30s.
A photo on KIRO’s website showed one plane flipped over on its top and surrounded by foam.
Ogershok said the parked plane apparently belonged to Airpac, an air cargo operator. A call to Airpac’s answering service was not immediately returned.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have been notified, the spokeswoman said.
The departing plane was using the airport’s short runway. Ogershok said the main runway remained open.
The departing plane was described as a PA44 by FAA spokesman Mike Fergus. That aircraft is manufactured by Piper.
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