Teen 'breached' Fresno Yosemite International Airport fence, stole and crashed plane

Sheyanne N Romero | Visalia Times-Delta

Fresno officers got a strange call Wednesday morning — a teenage girl crashed a stolen aircraft at Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

Visalia Times Delta, which is a part of the USA TODAY Network, reported that the incident started around 7:30 a.m., when a 17-year-old girl managed to break through the airport fencing, according to Vikkie Calderon, airport public relations officer.

The girl then got into a King Air 200 propeller-driven aircraft and started one engine, according to airport officials. The aircraft began to "move and pivot," then crashed into a building and a fence on airport property.

Airport and Fresno police officers responded to the 911 call.

When officers got to the girl, she was seated in the pilot’s seat and wearing the pilot headset. She appeared to be "disoriented and was uncooperative" when officers arrested her, Calderon said.

She was booked into Fresno County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of theft of an aircraft.

The girl's identity will not be released due to her age.

The aircraft never became airborne, and there was no fire. However, the aircraft sustained "substantial damage," Calderon said.

The incident happened in the General Aviation area of the airport, and no injuries were reported.

"No passengers or commercial airlines were ever at risk in this incident," Calderon stated. "The motive is still under investigation but there is no indication of any ties to domestic terrorism."

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Fresno Yosemite International Airport is currently working with the Federal Aviation Administration and other authorities to investigate this incident.

"We would like to thank the Fresno Police Department and fire department for their assistance," Calderon said.

The Fresno crash comes a day after two planes collided while taxiing at Visalia Municipal Airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board was called at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to take a report of a "mishap" at the airport, said Airport Superintendent Katherine Bales.

The two planes were moving down the taxiway when one plane clipped the other plane's wing, according to witnesses. The collision caused fuel to leak out of one of the planes.

The extent of the damage is still being evaluated.

The runway was not closed, and the spill was contained about three hours after the collision.

Follow Sheyanne Romero on Twitter @sheyanne_VTD.