SLO County airport reopens after plane crash on runway
Update, 4:36 p.m.
The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport was scheduled to reopen at 5 p.m. Friday night after a plane crash and fire closed the runway for nearly 8 hours.
The announcement came in a news release Friday afternoon.
“We are grateful for the swift and coordinated response from our airport staff and local emergency responders in managing today’s incident,” stated Courtney Johnson, Director of Airports, in the release. “Thank you as well to our passengers and community for their patience and understanding. The airfield has been safely cleared and is ready to resume normal operations.”
Original story:
Two people escaped an airplane crash and fire that forced the closure of the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport on Friday morning.
The private plane, which had arrived in San Luis Obispo after flying here from San Diego, crashed during take-off, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Photos showed the single-engine Cirrus SR22T disabled on the runway and leaning on one wing with the landing gear apparently collapsed.
The FAA is investigating the incident, it told The Tribune.
The airport was closed after the crash, according to its website, which showed several flight delays. The airport encouraged travelers to check with their airline for updated information on their flight status.
“At this time, we are focused on supporting emergency responders and gathering accurate information,” said Courtney Johnson, director of airports, in a news release Friday. “We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we work through the details of this incident.”
No injuries or fatalities were reported, according to the release.
Private plane flew to SLO from San Diego before crash
According to the app Flightradar24, the plane that crashed and caught fire took off from San Diego around 7 a.m. and landed in San Luis Obispo around 8:28 a.m. The plane is privately owned, according to the app.
About 45 minutes later, the plane crashed and caught fire as it was attempting to take off.
The incident was reported around 9:13 a.m., according to the Pulse Point incident map.
The fire was out by 9:17 a.m, according to information shared by Cal Fire on X.
An updated post said two people were on board at the time of the fire but declined medical care.
A hazmat response was then requested to clear 90 gallons of fuel, according to the thread.
This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 10:03 AM.
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