Initial report on fatal crash says plane reported open door

Image

Steve Marcus

Officials investigate at the scene of a fatal small plane crash near the Henderson Executive Airport Sunday Sept. 8, 2019. The plane crashed on Saturday night killing two and injuring three others.

Wed, Sep 18, 2019 (9:48 a.m.)

The National Transportation Safety Board says a Sept. 7 fatal plane crash occurred when the aircraft was returning to a southern Nevada airport after appearing to struggle to gain altitude and then reporting that a door was open.

The NTSB preliminary report said the pilot and instructor were killed and two passengers were killed when the plane nose-dived into the ground while returning to Henderson Executive Airport.

The preliminary report said the same aircraft that crashed the evening of Sept. 7 left the airport that morning but had to return, with one person aboard telling an airport employee that it was too hot for the single-engine plane to climb to get over mountains.

The NTSB will later release a final report likely including a conclusion on what caused the crash.

Back to top

SHARE