Cessna crash near Van Nuys leaves no injuries; investigation expected

The two occupants of the aircraft—a man and a woman—exited safely without injuries and declined hospital transport. The aircraft suffered significant damage, with its engine cowling cracked and detached from the fuselage.

The Cessna 172 Skyhawk involved is registered as N40628 and owned by First Take Aviation LLC, based in Van Nuys. This flight school operates several aircraft including two Cessna 172 Skyhawks and a Piper PA-28 Cherokee. The specific aircraft was first built in 1968 and acquired by First Take Aviation in June 2023.

Known as one of the most successful general aviation aircraft models, over 44,000 Cessna 172s have been produced since its introduction. It remains popular among flight schools due to its reliable performance specifications such as a cruise speed of 122 knots and a range of 696 nautical miles.

An investigation into the cause of this incident will likely be conducted by both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).