Two Fatally Injured When The Plane Went Down

The NTSB has released its preliminary report from an accident that gained national attention on April 30.

The accident occurred during a tourism flight conducted by Sky Combat Ace operating out of Henderson Executive Airport (KHND) in Las Vegas, NV. According to the report, the Extra Flugzeugproduktions UND, EA-300/L, N330MT, sustained substantial damage when it impacted mountainous terrain about 12 miles south of Henderson Executive Airport (HND), Las Vegas, Nevada.

The airplane was registered to and operated by Vegas Extreme Adventures LLC under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The airline transport pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual (VMC) meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local business flight departed HND about 1600.

Information provided by the company representatives revealed that the accident airplane departed and rendezvoused with two other company airplanes to conduct a simulated air to air combat mission. Two airplanes at a time would maneuver against each other, while the other airplane observed from a safe distance. Following completion of their air combat profile, all three airplanes returned towards HND. The first two airplanes landed and realized that the third airplane behind them did not return. Subsequently, the company launched an airplane to conduct a search, and shortly thereafter, the wreckage was discovered near a hilltop.

Examination of the accident site by the National Transportation Safety Board, investigator-in-charge, revealed that the airplane impacted mountainous terrain on a 030 degree heading. All the major components of the airplane were located throughout the 800 foot long debris path.

The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov