Plane Crashes at Whiteman Airport

Two people escaped with minor injuries Thursday from a Cessna aircraft after it cartwheeled off the runway and into a field at Whiteman Airport, officials said.

After coming down hard during its landing at 10 a.m., the plane bounced in the air. The pilot, Dan Grahek of Palmdale, then gave the plane full throttle to make it airborne, but it stalled. A wing then hit the ground and propelled the plane off the runway, said Gary Boz, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

Grahek and the passenger Charles Currey of Monrovia were the only two on board. Boz did not know the extent of their injuries.

The plane was damaged beyond repair.

Pacoima's Whiteman Airport is one of five airports managed by the county Department of Public Works.