John McCarthy
TUCSON (NBC) — At least two people have died after two small single-engine planes collided midair at an Arizona airport this morning, officials said.
A Lancair 360 MK II and a Cessna 172S collided at the Marana Regional Airport just before 8:30 a.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The airport is an uncontrolled field, meaning it does not have an operating air traffic control tower. It is located about 21 miles northwest of Tucson.
The Marana Police Department said in a Facebook post that it was on scene. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation.
Based on preliminary information, the “aircraft collided while upwind of runway 12,” NTSB said in a statement. The Cessna “landed uneventfully” while the Lancair “impacted terrain near runway 3 and a post-impact fire ensued.”
Each aircraft had two passengers on board. Further details were not immediately released.
By MINYVONNE BURKE, CRISTIAN SANTANA and JAY BLACKMAN/NBC News
