Small plane crash on 405 freeway in Orange County

A Cessna 310 airplane crash landed and burst into flames on the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Irvine area Friday.

It happened about 9:35 a.m. north of MacArthur Boulevard, in an area near John Wayne Airport, authorities said.

The freeway was closed in both directions, creating a southbound backup of up to five miles as authorities worked to divert traffic on other routes.

The northern lanes have been partially cleared, according to broadcast reports.

Two people in the aircraft — a man and a woman — were being treated for major injuries, authorities said.

According to the airport, the airplane landed short of the runway. In the aftermath of the crash, the airfield was closed to arrivals, but arrivals were resumed about 45 minutes afterward.

Travelers were urged to contact their airlines for flight information.

The plane crashed with its nose down, according to broadcast reports.

A preliminary report indicated the aircraft crashed on the northbound side of the freeway and ended up on the southbound side, and that two people were removed from the wreckage.