Midair Plane Collision In Arizona Kills At Least Two

At least two people were killed Wednesday morning when two small planes collided midair near an airport in southern Arizona, local authorities said.

According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, “two people were aboard each plane involved in the collision,” The Associated Press reported. Authorities in Marana, located about 25 miles northwest of Tucson, confirmed at least two fatalities.

The airport has no air traffic control tower but was planning to construct one before pandemic-related setbacks caused delays. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash but has not yet provided details on whether airfield infrastructure issues or other factors played a role.

Authorities have also not confirmed whether weather or mechanical failures contributed to the collision. Additional updates, including the identities of the victims, are pending as law enforcement continues notifying the individuals’ families. Local agencies have urged anyone with firsthand information to contact them directly, emphasizing that witness accounts can help piece together what led to the midair collision.

This week’s incident marks the second fatal crash in Arizona within a short span. Last week, one of two pilots died on a private jet in Scottsdale owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil after the aircraft went off the runway and collided with a business jet.

The tragedy is one of four in just the last month, including a Delta aircraft that overturned upon landing in Toronto and a commuter plane in Alaska that crashed in remote terrain.

In January, a fatal collision involving an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., claimed 67 lives, while the next day saw the crash of a medical transport flight in Philadelphia that killed seven and injured 19 others.