On Wednesday morning, two planes collided in the air at an airport in the Marana area, located in southern Arizona, resulting in the death of two individuals. The accident took place at the Marana Regional Airport on the outskirts of Tucson.
According to a report by ABC News Arizona affiliate, ABC15, officials from the Marana Police Department stated that there were occupants in both planes involved in the collision. The Scripps News Group in the Tucson area confirmed that the collision had led to the deaths of at least two individuals, although the identities of the victims have not yet been confirmed.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed ABC15 that a Lancair plane carrying two individuals collided in the air with a Cessna 172 plane carrying two other individuals around 8:30 AM local time on Wednesday.
The Marana Police Department released a statement on social media on Wednesday morning, indicating that they were responding to the situation where at least one fatality had been confirmed as a result of the plane collision. Detailed information at the time was limited.
Local Tucson ABC affiliate KGUN 9’s reporter, Blake Phillips, confirmed that after the initial report of one fatality, at least two people had lost their lives. Authorities mentioned that both planes involved in the incident were small fixed-wing aircraft.
Photos shared by witnesses showed thick smoke in the direction of the airport. Each of the two planes involved in the incident had two occupants on board.
Marana Regional Airport is described by the FAA as an uncontrolled airport, meaning it does not have an operating Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower. Pilots use the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to communicate their positions with other pilots in the vicinity of the airport. Pilots are responsible for ensuring safe flight operations with other aircraft in these areas, adhering to all FAA regulations including minimum visibility, minimum safe altitudes, and right-of-way rules.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are conducting an investigation into the incident.
This accident adds to a recent string of aviation incidents. Just this Monday, a Delta Air Lines plane overturned while landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport due to strong winds, fortunately with no fatalities. A few weeks prior, a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane over the Potomac River in the Washington, D.C. area, resulting in the loss of all 64 passengers and three helicopter crew members.