Pilot airlifted after small plane crashes nose-down near Big Bear Airport

A pilot was rushed to the hospital by helicopter Thursday afternoon after his small plane crashed nose-down in a field near Big Bear Airport. San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Jenny Smith said the department's dispatch center received numerous calls about the downed aircraft, and deputies quickly responded to the scene[1].

The crash was first reported to the California Highway Patrol at approximately 6:20 p.m. on August 27 in the 100 block of Mountain View Boulevard[1]. When deputies arrived, they located a small, fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft that had gone down in a field east of the airport[1].

The pilot was the only person on board and was transported by helicopter to a hospital. His condition had not been made available as of the initial report[1]. No additional property was damaged in the incident, according to Smith, who confirmed the crash remains an active investigation[1].

The cause of the crash has not been released. The pilot's identity, the aircraft's registration, and any response from the Federal Aviation Administration or National Transportation Safety Board — the agencies that typically investigate general aviation accidents — could not be confirmed at the time of publication. Big Bear Airport officials had not issued a public statement.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. Big Bear News will update this story as new details become available.