Fatal Arizona Plane Collision: Small Airplane Crash Near Tucson Results in One Fatality as Reported by Officials

MARANA, Ariz. — A midair collision involving two small planes in southern Arizona killed at least two people Wednesday morning, authorities said.

The collision near Marana Regional Airport on the outskirts of Tucson is currently under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Marana Police Department has confirmed two fatalities in connection with the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration says two people were aboard each plane involved in the collision.

The Associated Press left a message with a Marana police spokesperson seeking additional details.

In Arizona, a tragic incident involving a private jet owned by Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil occurred last week. One of the two pilots on board lost their life when the aircraft veered off a runway in Scottsdale and collided with a business jet.

A series of significant aviation accidents have taken place in North America over the past month. These include a Delta jet overturning on its roof during a landing in Toronto and a fatal crash involving a commuter plane in Alaska.

In late January, 67 people aboard an American Airlines passenger were killed when an Army helicopter collided with it in Washington, D.C., marking the United States’ deadliest aviation disaster since 2001. Just a day later, a medical transport jet with a child patient, her mother and four others aboard crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Jan. 31, exploding in a fireball that engulfed several homes. That crash killed seven people, including all those aboard, and injured 19 others.

The airport in Marana has two intersecting runways but operates without an air traffic control tower.

A multimillion-dollar project was underway to build a tower but delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic pushed back construction. Tens of thousands of flights arrive and depart from the airport annually.