Co-Pilot Lands Biz Jet after Pilot is Hurt

The pilot of a small business jet bound for Van Nuys Airport suffered head injuries amid heavy turbulence Thursday night, but the craft landed safely at the San Fernando Valley facility after the co-pilot took over the controls.

Officials said the pilot, identified as a 50-year-old man, appeared to have suffered only a small cut and a bump and was in good spirits after the landing. He was, however, taken to Mission Community Hospital in Panorama City for evaluation.

Paul Haney, an official with Los Angeles World Airports, which operates the Van Nuys facility, said the pilot and co-pilot were the only people aboard the Westwind business jet, which has seating for nine passengers. He said it was on a cross-state "ferry flight" to move the aircraft from Thermal to Van Nuys.

It landed in Van Nuys, he said, at 8:09 p.m.

Haney described the episode as "an in-flight incident that required medical attention on the ground, but not an emergency since it landed at the airport it was bound for."

Further details about the flight and aircraft were unavailable Thursday night.

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