Tragic Mid-Air Collision Claims Lives of Two Pilots in Arizona Sky
KGUN reported that at least two individuals have perished following the mid-air collision of two small aircraft near an airport in Arizona, as indicated by police. A Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, both single-engine fixed-wing planes, each carrying two passengers when they collided over Marana Regional Airport, located northwest of Tucson.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is overseeing the investigation into this incident, stated on X that based on initial data, the aircraft “collided while upwind of runway 12,” one of the airport’s two runways. The NTSB further elaborated that although the Cessna landed safely, the Lancair struck terrain close to runway 3 and a fire ensued following the impact.
No details about the victims were disclosed by authorities. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), these planes collided around 08:25 local time on Wednesday (15:25 GMT). An FAA statement noted that “two people were on board each of the aircraft involved in this collision,” specifically referencing the Lancair and Cessna 172.
Marana Regional Airport is classified as an “uncontrolled field” because it lacks an active air traffic control tower. Pilots typically utilize a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to communicate their position to other pilots operating within the airport vicinity.
This fatal collision follows a series of recent aviation-related incidents in the United States. Last month, a helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger plane in Washington DC, resulting in fatalities for all 64 passengers and three crew members. The same week saw another tragic event when a small medical transport aircraft crashed into several buildings in Philadelphia’s central business district, killing all six people on board along with at least one person on the ground.
On Monday, an incident occurred involving a Delta Air Lines flight that skidded off the runway ablaze before flipping over and coming to rest upside down. Miraculously, all 80 passengers aboard survived this dramatic crash in Toronto.
The latest aviation disaster is happening as the US aviation sector has urged Congress for emergency funding to bolster air traffic control technology and personnel resources on Wednesday.
