Tragedy struck the Las Vegas area on Saturday when a small single-engine plane crashed near the Henderson Executive Airport, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Two people were killed and three others were injured in the fiery accident.
A tragic accident
According to the Review-Journal, the plane was a single-engine Beechcraft Sierra that carried four people on board, including the pilot.
The aircraft reportedly experienced a mechanical issue after takeoff from Henderson and attempted to make an emergency return to the airport, but crashed and burst into flames in a desert area to the south of the landing strip.
One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, while the second fatality was pronounced at a nearby hospital.
Two of the three injured individuals were onboard the aircraft and were said to have suffered “serious” injuries. The third individual, a bystander who rushed over to assist those in the wrecked plane, suffered minor smoke inhalation.
Questions remain
According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), records indicated that the small aircraft was headed for Gillespie Field, an airport near El Cajon, California, in the San Diego area.
The registered owner of the plane is a Southern California-based company with an address next to Gillespie Fields. The Washington Post reported that the company’s address “corresponds to two flight schools, California Flight Academy and California Wings of El Cajon.”
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation into the cause of the crash. But such an investigation could take a year or more to complete, according to the Review-Journal.
As of now, local authorities have declined to reveal the identities of the crash victims until their families have been notified.
This is terrible news for the family and friends of the victims, not to mention the surrounding community.
Hopefully, the cause of the disaster will be quickly determined and, if necessary, appropriate corrective actions will be taken.
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