Flight instructor, student killed after small plane crashes in Santa Monica

Two dead after small plane crashes at SoCal airport

Two people died after a small plane crashed Thursday evening at the Santa Monica Airport.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - Two people are dead after a plane crashed at the Santa Monica Airport, police said.

Fire officials responded to the Santa Monica Airport around 4:25 p.m. Thursday.

The FAA said the aircraft was a single-engine Piper Sport. The two people aboard, a flight instructor and a student, died at the scene.

Images from SkyFOX show fire trucks on the tarmac, along with the remains of a burnt aircraft.

NTSB investigating after flight instructor, student killed in plane crash

A flight instructor and a student were killed after their plane crashed while landing at the Santa Monica Airport.

NTSB investigators say the aircraft flew north along the coast of Malibu for standard introductory flight route. The plane was then cleared to land on runway 21 at Santa Monica Airport.

"The aircraft was inbound to the airport when it touched down, and made an abrupt upward maneuver before crashing," the Santa Monica Fire Department said in a statement.

The plane was owned and operated by a local flight school called Santa Monica Fliers.

It is unknown what caused the plane to crash. Officials have not released the names of the two people killed in the crash.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.