Flights canceled after plane crash at Santa Barbara airport
The plane that crashed at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport on Aug. 25 awaits an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Story updated at 5:20 p.m. Aug. 26:
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport re-opened its main runway at 4:46 p.m. on Aug. 26 after 19 hours of closure and nearly two dozen cancelled flights.
Flights were cancelled on Aug. 26 after a private C-130 cargo plane crashed at the airport at 10:20 p.m. Aug. 25.
Runway 15L and 15R will remain closed until the C-130 aircraft is moved from its position approximately 500 feet south of the main runway, according to an Aug. 26 news release.
“We very much appreciate the efforts of all agencies in handling this accident response in a timely manner,” said Airport Director Henry Thompson in the news release. “The airport will continue to work with the aircraft owner, International Air Response, to move the C-130 off the field in the next few days.”
The airport advised passengers to check with their airlines for the most up-to-date information on flights, and live flight schedules are available at www.FlySBA.com.
“We understand that many of our customers were impacted by the closure of the airport and we thank them for their patience,” Thompson added.
The cargo plane was headed from the Santa Maria Airport to Arizona when it was attempting an emergency landing. It crashed and caught fire, Airport Business Development Manager Deanna Zachrisson said. None of the seven passengers onboard were injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
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