Long Beach, CAIf there's anything worse than a single plane crash, it's two plane crashes. That is the fear after two light planes collided in mid-air over Long Beach harbor in California, according to officials close to the scene. It is said that three people were involved with the two respective planes, but no survivors have yet to be found.
Officials are optimistic at the possibility of finding survivors, but "are prepared for the worst."
According to officials close to the investigation one of the planes that collided in mid-air above the harbor was a Cessna 172 that departed from Long Beach with an instructor and a student pilot on board. Coast Guard Captain Paul Wiedenhoeft indicated the other plane involved in the mid-air collision was a low-wing, twin-engine aircraft.
It is believed that the pilot of the twin-engine plane was the sole occupant. Hence the expectation that three people were involved.
According to a spokesperson with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a pilot reported witnessing the collision in the sky above Long Beach harbor at about 5:45pm yesterday (May 18th). Searchers combed the area for wreckage and either survivors or remains, but called off the search due to choppy waters at 1am this morning.
The search effort has now resumed both above and underwater.
Thus far there have been two debris fields found that are under scrutiny. Both are about five miles south of the Long Beach Breakwater: one was located about five nautical miles southwest from the Long Beach break wall. A subsequent debris field was located three nautical miles northwest of the first field of debris.
A wheel has been recovered, together with several other pieces of plane crash debris.
The pilot who reported witnessing the mid-air collision led crash investigators to the debris field. The site is reported to be about nine miles southeast of the Torrance Airport.
According to KTLA Television in Los Angeles, when the mid-air collision was reported investigators immediately began searching for survivors and/or remains and debris in the ocean about five miles south of the Queen Mary, off the coast of Long Beach.
There were no reports of anyone being struck by falling debris on the ground. There was also no speculation thus far as to the cause of the mid-air collision and what role a student pilot may have played in the horrific incident. While an instructor was on board the Cessna, it is not known who was at the controls of the doomed Cessna at the time of the mid-air plane crash.
There was no information as to the observations of airport tower flight controllers, or which plane may have ventured into the other's flight path.