Pilot Was Unable To Gain Altitude

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 08.22.08 1210 MDT: North Las Vegas Fire Chief Kevin Brame tells CNN a third victim of the Friday morning crash of a homebuilt Velocity aircraft has died from their injuries, after being rushed to an area hospital in critical condition.

The victim was inside the home the plane impacted just before 0630 local time Friday morning. Another occupant of the home died in the crash and post-impact fire, as did the plane's pilot.

The crash site is approximately 1/2 mile southeast of North Las Vegas Airport.

Original Report

0910 MDT: At least two people were killed when an experimental aircraft impacted a home in North Las Vegas, NV early Friday morning.

Local media reports the pilot of a Velocity 173RG was lost, in addition to one person inside the home. A second person on the ground was taken to University Medical Center in Las Vegas in critical condition.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said the plane crashed at 0628 local time Friday, shortly after takeoff from North Las Vegas Airport (VGT). The pilot radioed mayday to the VGT before the plane went down, telling controllers he was unable to gain altitude.

The impact sparked a fire, that emergency crews were able to quickly extinguish.

Gregor told The Seattle Times the accident aircraft (similar to type shown below) was approved by the FAA in 2002, and was owned by a Las Vegas resident.

ANN will update this story as more information becomes available.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.velocityaircraft.com