Runway Closed After Plane Collapses

A single-engine plane collapsed on a Burbank Airport runway Monday when its landing gear gave way on takeoff, briefly delaying three arriving planes that had to be diverted to another runway, airport officials said.

The pilot and lone occupant of the Piper Comanche was not injured in the 11:05 a.m. incident, Burbank Airport spokesman Victor Gill said. The plane had just taxied into position for a northbound takeoff when it collapsed on the south end of the north-south runway, Gill said.

It was not known what caused the landing gear to give way, he said. Other flights were diverted to the east-west runway while a crane hoisted the plane off the runway, which was reopened about noon, Gill said. No departing aircraft were delayed, he said.