A small plane crashed Friday afternoon at Palm Springs International Airport, shuttering the airport and leaving the female pilot hospitalized in critical condition.
Firefighters were sent to the airport’s main runway about 2:10 p.m., said Palm Springs Fire Department Capt. Nathan Gunkel. They found the Cessna-like plane crashed nose-first into the pavement.
The sole occupant was rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs suffering from injuries described as major, Gunkel said. Her name and information about her trip were not provided.
The airport was shut down while crews cleaned up the wreckage, Gunkel said.
No reopening time immediately announced.