SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., March 1 (UPI) -- Two California 14-year-old boys trying to run away from home have been charged with stealing a small plane and crash-landing it in a national park.
The unidentified youths are from Big Bear Lake, and were booked into the San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
The plane, a single-engine Mooney M20C, belonged to the parents of one of the boys, who had had a disagreement and were running away, said Cindy Beavers, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Pilots at the Big Bear Airport became alarmed Sunday evening when they recognized the plane as it taxied, but not the pilot. They contacted the craft's owner and the sheriff's department, but by the time deputies arrived, the plane had taken off.
Not long after, rangers at Joshua Tree National Park saw the craft descending and making a very rough landing. The two teenagers received minor injuries and were treated at the scene, the report said.
Officials said they were unsure why the plane had to land, although it only had about 90 minutes worth of fuel in its tanks, officials said.
