Plane crashes into hangar at Petaluma airport; investigation underway

Federal officials have been called in to investigate after a small, private plane crashed into a hangar at the Petaluma Municipal Airport Sunday evening.

No injuries occurred in the crash, which was reported shortly before 6:45 p.m., Petaluma Fire Battalion Chief Mike Medeiros said in a news release.

Fire personnel from the Petaluma Fire Department along with members of the Rancho Adobe Fire District, as well as Petaluma Police, responded to the crash.

Upon arrival, they found that “a small plane had crashed and was wedged in the side of a metal hangar,” Medeiros said. Photos showed its left wing angled toward the ground and the right wing pointed skyward.

The pilot, who was the only occupant in the four-seat plane, was able to escape from the plane unharmed.

The crashed plane is a Cessna 182 built in 1965, according to publicly available federal aviation records. It is registered to Marin County resident David A. Hoffman. He could not be immediately reached Monday.

Crews worked to stop leaking gasoline from the plane, Medeiros said.

The airport manager notified the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

An investigation into the incident, and removal of the aircraft, are pending and will be completed as soon as possible, Medeiros said.

In addition, an estimate of damages is “dependent upon completion of the investigation of the incident and removal of the aircraft,” he added.