Lawmakers Call for Safety Review of Whiteman Airport in Pacoima Following Recent Crashes
U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas has issued a letter requesting a comprehensive safety review of Whiteman Airport in Pacoima, his office announced Wednesday, Jan. 12, three days after a plane crashed near the facility and was hit by a train.
“The regularity of these incidents raises serious concerns for the safety of the communities and families surrounding Whiteman Airport, as well as the pilots, personnel and staff that have access to or are located at the airport,” wrote Cardenas, a Democrat whose 29th District includes Pacoima.
The letter addressed to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board follows multiple plane crashes, including one on Sunday, Jan. 9, in which a Cessna 172 made an attempted an emergency landing on to a set of nearby tracks. Police managed to rescue the pilot and sole occupant of the wrecked aircraft moments before a Metrolink train slammed into it at full speed.
The pilot was taken to a trauma center by paramedics and treated for non-life threatening injuries, police said. No other injuries were reported among people on the ground or the 66 passengers aboard the train that struck the plane, Metrolink officials said.
That crash is already under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.
“Tragically, this latest incident reflects yet another example of the public safety threat Whiteman Airport continues to pose to my constituents, and why I’ve been a consistent voice for its closure,” Monica Rodriguez, Los Angeles City Councilwoman for the 7th District, said in a statement responding to the crash on Sunday.
Cardenas highlighted an earlier crash in November 2020, when a single-engine Cessna 182 approaching Whiteman knocked over power lines before falling onto parked cars on a residential street. That pilot, who died in the crash, was alone in the aircraft and a member of the Civil Air Patrol.
“Whiteman tower CAP439, we’ve got a loss of engine power here. We’re going to try and stretch it to the runway,” that pilot told air traffic controllers shortly before the fatal crash just over a year ago.
“Runway’s clear and you are clear to land,” airport staff responded.
“Hopefully we’ll make it,” the pilot replied.
In 2018, a 12-year-old was among two killed when a Cessna 150L that had taken off from Whiteman Airport crashed into a building. The pilot, who also died, was a 60-year-old flight instructor, according to media reports.
Cardenas said the NTSB’s database shows that 16 aviation accidents related to Whiteman Airport have taken place since 2009. He has requested a report regarding:
— All aircraft incident reports and/or citations made by the FAA regarding traffic in and out of the airport;
— A review of whether the airport meets all federal, state and local government safety and operation standards;
— An account of any prior issues in meeting federal safety and operating standards and regulations, including steps taken to mitigate those issues;
— Details on how safety trainings are conducted, the frequency of such training and an accounting of who is responsible for training those who have access to the airport and/or fly aircraft;
— A historical account of incidents and accidents at the airport or en route to and from the airport since it first opened, including a comparison with other similar general aviation airports;
— Specific information about the Jan. 9 accident, including any communications between the pilot and the airport as well as any communications between the airport and Metrolink railway before, during or after the incident;
— An account of what processes and/or procedures occur after such incidents to ensure that all operational safety standards were met before, during, and after aircraft incidents.
“All airports have a responsibility to meet necessary airport safety and operation standards in order to fulfill required certification and ensure that all safety practices are met to the full extent as required by the Federal Aviation Administration and relevant state and local agencies,” Cardenas said.
“Fair and transparent investigations like these keep communities safe, result in safer skies, prevent loss of life and ensure airports meet the necessary safety standards.”
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