Small plane tips forward onto nose after landing in Livermore, no injuries

LIVERMORE, Calif. (KTVU/BCN) - A small private airplane sustained minor damage when it ran off the runway and tipped forward onto its nose after landing in Livermore today, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The plane had just landed at Livermore Municipal Airport, listed at 680 Terminal Circle, although it was not immediately clear what time the landing occurred at. Firefighters didn't see the plane come down, but they heard it.

"Just kind of a loud bang," said Captain Leo Lima of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department. "An unusual, kind of muffled sound."

The single-engine Cessna 172 had two people on board at the time -- a flight instructor and a student. The crash didn't cause any fires and fuel didn't leak. Neither passengers were injured and both refused medical attention.

The trouble happened when the Cessna was landing on Runway 25, one of two runways at the airport. The nose wheel broke, Lima said. But whether that was from the impact or not is unknown.

"They were shaken up," said Lima of the two involved. "We didn't go into details. They were shaken up but uninjured."

It's unclear what caused the crash, whether it was a mechanical or pilot error. The airport said flying conditions were good. The Federal Aviation Administration would not say if the pilot or the student was at the controls.

As is customary in all crashes, the FAA will be conducting an investigation to find out exactly what caused the crash.