By Stephen Witt, Los Angeles County Politics
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath (D – Western Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley, including Pacoima, Panorama City, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Calabasas, Malibu, Sylmar) today demanded that federal authorities immediately suspend all flight operations at Whiteman Airport in Pacoima pending a comprehensive safety review.
Horvath’s demand came hours after a small plane with faulty landing gear crashed through a perimeter fence at the controversial 184-acre facility — the second aircraft incident at or near Whiteman in less than 60 days.
“I do not have confidence that this federal government shares Los Angeles County’s sense of urgency for safety at Whiteman Airport,” Horvath said. “We have repeatedly called for answers and corrective actions — we are still waiting. It is time for the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board to meet their basic obligations. Our communities can no longer pay the price for delay and inaction. I call on all operations to cease immediately while a thorough investigation is conducted.”
Because Whiteman Airport was built with federal funds and operates under FAA Grant Assurances that obligate the county to keep it open, Horvath lacks the unilateral authority to suspend operations — only the FAA can do that.
In a letter sent Tuesday to FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, Horvath outlined five specific demands: a full investigation of both recent crashes; a comprehensive evaluation of pilot training practices at Whiteman; a review of airport safety protocols and traffic patterns; an assessment of whether the airport’s location creates unique safety risks warranting operational modifications; and the issuance of interim safety recommendations before normal operations resume.
Tuesday’s crash occurred just after 9 a.m. when a single-engine plane — initially identified as a Cessna, though KTLA later reported it may have been an experimental aircraft — failed to deploy its landing gear properly while attempting to land on the runway. The plane continued beyond the runway, passed through a perimeter fence, and came to rest in a parking lot on airport property at 12653 West Osborne Street.
The pilot, a 77-year-old man who was the sole occupant, was extricated by Los Angeles Fire Department crews and sustained minor injuries. He initially declined hospital transport but later went for further evaluation. Five gallons of fuel leaked from the aircraft but were contained, and there was no active fire.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, whose district includes Pacoima, issued a statement directly to Los Angeles County Politics echoing Horvath’s call for action.
“This morning’s plane crash at Whiteman Airport reminds us of the definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. It’s shameful that the County has taken no meaningful action to protect our community after these repeated accidents which threaten our community’s safety,” Rodriguez said. “I am thankful to the first responders who acted quickly and am relieved that the pilot was safely extricated. I will continue to monitor this situation closely and continue to fight for accountability and the safety of Pacoima residents.”
Roberto Barragan, Executive Director of ICON CDC and a longtime community advocate for airport closure, also weighed in.
“ICON CDC wants to thank the first responders for their quick action, and best wishes to the pilot and his recovery,” Barragan said. “Unfortunately, this crash occurred less than two months after the last crash and continues to underscore the lack of safety at Whiteman Airport and the substandard runway and facilities. I am committed to the shutdown of Whiteman Airport and for the site to be given to the community.”
Tuesday’s crash is the latest in a series of incidents that have fueled community demands for closure. In April 2026, community members helped lift a single-engine plane and pull an injured pilot from the wreckage after it crashed upside down into the parking lot of an auto parts store less than two miles from Whiteman.
In 2022, a single-engine Cessna made an emergency landing on Metrolink tracks near San Fernando and Osborne streets, requiring police to extract the pilot as a train approached. That same April, a pilot died after a Cessna crashed alongside the 210 Freeway in Sylmar after taking off from Whiteman.
In November 2020, a Cessna crashed in a residential area near the airport’s runway, killing a Civil Air Patrol pilot.
The county commissioned a $2.1 million study by Trifiletti Consulting to examine Whiteman Airport’s future.
A Board of Supervisors discussion on the issue is scheduled for June 30 — two weeks away.
