On the morning of February 19, 2025, a devastating Arizona plane crash took place near Marana Regional Airport, located just northwest of Tucson, leaving two people dead. The collision involved two small aircraft—a Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II—causing a tragic loss of life in the mid-air collision. The crash has raised questions about air safety, especially at airports without air traffic control towers, like Marana, which is considered an uncontrolled field.
NTSB is investigating a mid-air collision between Cessna 172S and Lancair 360 MK II near Marana, Arizona.
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) February 19, 2025
The Collision and Immediate Response
Around 8:28 a.m., the two planes collided while flying near Marana Airport, a popular location for private flights and training sessions.
The Cessna 172 managed to land safely despite the collision, while the Lancair 360, a two-seat, single-engine aircraft, crashed into the ground and erupted into flames shortly after impact. The Marana Police Department confirmed that two people on board the Lancair perished in the crash, while the occupants of the Cessna were not injured.
Emergency responders, including the Marana Municipal Fire Department, quickly arrived on the scene to extinguish the blaze.
The crash site is still being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is working alongside the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The investigation is expected to take several days, and the airport has been temporarily closed while authorities assess the situation.
Also Read: 18 Injured in Delta Airlines Plane Crash at Toronto Pearson
The Risks of Uncontrolled Airfields
The Marana Regional Airport operates without a control tower, meaning pilots are responsible for maintaining communication with one another using a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) and visually observing other planes in the vicinity.
According to aviation experts, communication among pilots is critical when flying in uncontrolled airspace, and this collision has once again drawn attention to the inherent risks involved.
Devin Starr, an aviation expert, emphasized the importance of clear communication among pilots, stating, “When you’re going into an untowered airport, it’s the pilot’s responsibility to plan ahead and make sure they aren’t coming in blind. Proper communication could have helped prevent this tragic accident.”
The FAA classifies the airport as an uncontrolled field due to its lack of an air traffic control tower. While these types of airports are generally safe when proper procedures are followed, the lack of a control tower can create challenges, especially when multiple aircraft are in the vicinity at the same time.
Recent reports have highlighted near-miss incidents at Marana Regional Airport, raising concerns about its safety measures.
A History of Previous Incidents
This tragic accident is not the first of its kind at Marana Regional Airport. In the past, the airport has seen several incidents, including near mid-air collisions and crashes.
The most notable one occurred in April 2000 when a U.S. Marine Corps Osprey helicopter crashed, claiming the lives of 19 servicemembers.
A multi-million-dollar project to build an air traffic control tower at the airport was underway before the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant delays. While airport officials continue to push for improvements, the absence of a control tower remains a risk factor, especially considering the large number of flights that operate out of the airport each year.
Aviation Safety and the Bigger Picture
The plane crash in Arizona comes at a time when air safety has been in the spotlight due to several other major incidents across North America.
Just days before, a Delta regional jet flipped on its roof while landing in Toronto, and in January, a deadly collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., claimed 67 lives, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in over two decades.
The recent spike in plane crashes in Arizona and other aviation incidents nationwide has sparked renewed concerns about flight safety.
Experts note that while smaller aircraft like the Lancair 360 and Cessna 172 are statistically more prone to accidents due to less stringent regulations compared to commercial airliners, the number of such aircraft in operation worldwide is vast. There are more than 340,000 general aviation aircraft globally, with roughly 204,000 based in the United States.
Despite the rise in aviation accidents, the NTSB’s preliminary data for January 2025 indicates that overall airplane accidents nationwide are at a record low.
However, smaller planes, especially those operated under Part 91 regulations for private aviation, are more vulnerable to incidents.
A Step Toward Better Safety Measures
This tragic event in Marana, alongside other recent aviation disasters, has once again brought the conversation about air safety to the forefront.
Advocates for stronger safety regulations are calling for better training for pilots operating in uncontrolled airports, as well as the construction of more air traffic control towers at regional airports.
As authorities continue their investigation into the crash at Marana Regional Airport, they will likely consider these and other safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As this story develops, the Arizona plane crash serves as a somber reminder of the inherent risks in aviation and the ongoing need for vigilance, communication, and better safety protocols to protect all those in the sky.
