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March 29, 2024

Pilot killed in plane crash near Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas

Plane Crash in Northeast Valley

Wade Vandervort

Investigators work the scene of a plane crash that killed a pilot in North Las Vegas, Monday, May 24, 2021.

Updated Monday, May 24, 2021 | 9:28 p.m.

Plane Crash in Northeast Valley

Investigators work the scene of a plane crash that killed a pilot in North Las Vegas, Monday, May 24, 2021.  (Las Vegas Sun/Wade Vandervort) Launch slideshow »

A pilot flying an aircraft operated by a military contractor out of Nellis Air Force Base died Monday afternoon after crashing in a northeast Las Vegas residential neighborhood, authorities said.

Nellis officials said the plane was “owned, operated and piloted” by Florida-based Draken US.

The pilot was the lone passenger, officials said. His identity hasn’t been released.

In a statement released by Nellis, Draken US said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people and families affected by this event. We are doing everything in our power to assist them in this time of need, and we are working closely with federal, state and local authorities.”

Nellis officials in a Twitter post said that multiple federal and local first responders responded to the scene. The incident is under investigation, they added.

The plane crashed into a residential yard at 2245 N. Christy Lane.

Alex Reyes, who lives at 2212 N. Christy Lane across the street from the house where the plane crashed, heard a loud thump and his Wi-Fi went out. He saw black smoke billowing from the house across the street. Firefighters showed up five minutes later, he said.

“My mom didn’t believe me. I said, ‘Mom I heard something crash,’” he said.

Click to enlarge photo

Smoke is visible in a northeast Las Vegas residential neighborhood where a military aircraft from Nellis Air Force Base crashed May 24, 2021.

Neighbor Eugenia Brackeen said she distinctly heard a loud boom — so loud that it drowned out her television. Then, her power went about for a minute. “Right after that, I saw the fire trucks come,” she said.

National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the crash, identifying the plane as a Dassault Aviation Mirage F-1. The supersonic, radar-equipped Mirage F1 comes from the Spanish air force by way of Draken, a contract provider of tactical fighter aircraft for the military and defense industry. Draken has other kinds of planes at Nellis, including A-4 Skyhawks and L-159 Honey Badgers, at least as of 2019.

Residents of the neighborhood frequently see and hear planes from the nearby base.

“They fly 24/7 in this area and they are always flying really low. They always look like they are so low,” Brackeen said.

Nellis is best known internationally as host of periodic training exercises where U.S. and allied pilots conduct mock battles over a restricted military reserve in central Nevada that is half the size of the state of New Jersey.

Aircraft based at Nellis include F-16 Falcon and F-22 Raptor fighter jets and A-10 Warthog attack jets. The base also is home to the elite Thunderbirds flight demonstration team.

Retired Brig. Gen. Robert Novotny, who stepped down last year after commanding the 57th Wing at Nellis, told KTNV-TV that contract aircraft and pilots take part in some exercises as participants “to train against.”

“I am incredibly saddened by today’s crash in East Las Vegas of a contractor-operated aircraft taking off from Nellis Air Force Base,” said Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, whose district includes the base. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the pilot and the larger Nellis AFB family. Today’s tragedy is a reminder of the important work being done every day at Nellis in defense of our nation.”

On Twitter, Gov. Steve Sisolak wrote, “Kathy and I are praying for all those involved in today’s incident — especially the men and women of @NellisAFB and the first responders on the scene.”

In April 2018, Thunderbirds pilot Maj. Stephen Del Bango of Valencia, Calif., died when his F-16 fighter crashed during a training flight over the Nevada Test and Training Range northwest of Las Vegas.

In September 2017, an Air Force pilot died after a crash about 100 miles northwest of Nellis.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.