Two small aircraft collided midair Wednesday morning at Marana Regional Airport, located northwest of Tucson, Arizona, leaving two people dead, according to authorities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into the crash, which involved a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, both single-engine planes.
The crash occurred just before 8:30 a.m. local time in what is known as uncontrolled airspace, where there is no operational air traffic control tower. Pilots at such airports rely on a common traffic advisory frequency to announce their positions and coordinate landings and takeoffs. The Marana Police Department confirmed the fatalities but did not immediately release the identities of the victims or details on the circumstances leading to the collision.
Officials said both aircraft were carrying two passengers each, but they have not specified whether all aboard were affected. The NTSB will lead the investigation, while the FAA will provide support in reviewing potential violations of aviation regulations, including minimum visibility requirements, safe altitude restrictions, and right-of-way protocols.
The fatal accident comes amid a series of recent air travel incidents across North America. Earlier this week, a Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis crash-landed and overturned at Toronto Pearson Airport, injuring 21 passengers. On Jan. 29, a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport resulted in 67 fatalities, making it the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in nearly 25 years.
Other recent aviation tragedies include a small commuter plane crash in Nome, Alaska, on Feb. 6, which killed all ten people aboard, and a medical transport jet that crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood on Jan. 31, igniting a fireball that destroyed several homes.
