Palo Alto: Plane crashes into marsh after hitting power lines near airport

Palo Alto — A small plane crashed into a marsh near the Palo Alto Airport on Monday after striking power lines, the Palo Alto Fire Department said.

At about 1:50 p.m. Monday, the pilot of a Beechcraft Barron hit the wires and crashed into marshland surrounding the airport but was able to safely walk away, Palo Alto Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin McNally said.

The male pilot was the only passenger on the aircraft and didn’t appear to have suffered any significant injuries, McNally said. The pilot was taken to a local hospital for precautionary purposes.

The plane is currently sitting on the marsh “fairly intact” and missing part of a wing and there’s a smell of fuel in the air but no visual sheen on what’s mostly dry vegetation.

The FAA said in a statement that it will release the tail number of the aircraft once investigators verify it at the scene. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate. The safety board will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates.

PG&E and Palo Alto Utilities do not show any significant power outages related to the crash in the area.

No further details were immediately available. Please check back for updates.