A dramatic and bizarre scene unfolded at Van Nuys Airport in Los Angeles early Thursday morning when a 37-year-old man allegedly broke into a flight school, stole a small training airplane and crashed it into a hangar wall moments later.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ceffareno Michael Logan, who was taken into custody by Los Angeles Airport Police after the ill-fated theft attempt at around 5 a.m. local time. Law enforcement officials said Logan had trespassed onto the airport grounds and gained access to a Cessna 172, a four-seat, single-engine aircraft commonly used in pilot training.
According to police statements and video footage from local news outlets, the plane never left the ground. Investigators believe Logan was attempting to taxi the aircraft for takeoff when it struck the exterior wall of a hangar at the general aviation airport, located in the San Fernando Valley. The impact left a gaping hole in the structure and inflicted heavy damage on both the plane and nearby property.
“I got a phone call at 5 a.m. that someone broke into the flight school and stole one of the planes,” said Anthony Nercessian, owner of the L.A. Flight Academy, which leases the aircraft. “He managed to start the engine, but when he tried to move, the plane hit the hangar. I just can’t understand how someone would think of stealing an airplane.”
Footage of the crash shows the Cessna’s nose and left wing damaged from the collision, with debris scattered around the scene. Investigators also noted that the aircraft’s propeller was bent and the engine was rendered inoperable after the incident.
Logan, who is not known to the flight school’s owner, was not injured during the crash. He was booked into Van Nuys Jail on charges of felony burglary and theft of an aircraft, and a judge set bail at $150,000. Officials have not commented on whether additional charges, such as reckless endangerment, may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
Both the Los Angeles Airport Police Department and the FBI’s Los Angeles field office are involved in the ongoing inquiry, examining how Logan accessed the facility and managed to start the plane. It remains unclear whether he had any aviation experience or if he was a student at the flight academy.
Van Nuys Airport, one of two major airports operated by Los Angeles World Airports, is a hub for general aviation and flight training, hosting several flight schools and private aircraft. The incident has raised questions about security protocols at general aviation facilities, which typically have fewer access controls than larger commercial airports.
In Southern California earlier this year, another unusual aviation theft made national headlines when a private pilot discovered his plane had been taken for overnight joyrides multiple times before mysteriously returned — a case that remains unsolved.
Authorities say they are reviewing security footage and interviewing witnesses as part of their effort to piece together Logan’s motives and whether anyone else was involved. No serious injuries have been reported, and Nercessian said he was simply relieved the incident ended without loss of life.
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