2 dead after planes collide mid-air above Tucson suburb airport

MARANA, Ariz. (AZFamily) — Two people are dead after two planes collided mid-air near a southern Arizona airport on Wednesday morning.

The Marana Police Department responded to the scene of an aircraft crash at the Marana Regional Airport around 8:30 a.m. near Avra Valley and Sandario roads, just west of Interstate 10.

The National Transportation and Safety Board said the mid-air collision involved a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II.

The Cessna model is described as a four-seat, single-engine plane, while the Lancair is a two-seat, single-engine kit plane or homemade aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration says two people were on board each plane.

While two died, the other two walked away from the crash without any serious injuries.

The FAA added that Marana Regional Airport is an “uncontrolled field,” meaning it does not have an operating ATC control tower, and pilots use a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to communicate with other pilots in the airport’s vicinity. Pilots flying in an uncontrolled field are still required to follow FAA regulations.

Many smaller, rural airports do not have an ATC control tower.

Devin Starr, the owner of 5 Starr Aviation in Chandler, says Marana Regional Airport can be busy with training flights for students learning to become pilots. Communication among pilots is key.

“They should have been talking to each other so both of them knew where each other was,” Starr said. “Should have been able to avoid each other if things were going well. When you’re going into an untowered (No air traffic tower) airport like that, it’s the pilot’s responsibility to plan ahead. That way, you’re not coming in blind without talking to anyone and just picking a runway and landing.”

Our Arizona’s Family Investigates team found over the last 10 years, there have been seven reports of near-mid-air collisions at this airport, including two last year.

In October, a flight instructor expressed concern that current procedures funnel traffic into dangerously close proximity.

A multi-million dollar project was underway to build a tower at the airport, but construction has been delayed since the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The airport is currently shut down as an investigation continues.

Previous deadly accidents at Marana Regional Airport

On Apr. 8, 2000, a United States Marine Corps Osprey helicopter crashed, killing 19 servicemembers.

Two years later, on Mar. 15, 2002, a crash occurred involving an elite military parachuting team, the Golden Knights. In that crash, an Army pilot died after the team collided with a civilian plane during a practice jump, the Associated Press reported at the time.

According to the AP, the Golden Knights are made up of several expert teams from the U.S. Army, including parachute teams, aircraft pilots, and people behind the scenes who handle jump logistics.

The Golden Knights are based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, but had been training at the airport located about 20 miles north of Tucson.

KOLD-TV 13 News in Tucson contributed to this report.

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