Mid-air collision in Arizona kills two pilots

Two planes collided mid-air in Arizona on February 19, resulting in the deaths of two people. The incident involved a Lancair aircraft and a Cessna, which was conducting an instructional flight with a student pilot. Witnesses reported that the pilots had a heated argument shortly before the crash. One pilot reportedly yelled, "You cut me off," just moments before the planes collided. NASA engineer Michael Reinath, 70, and his passenger Linda Gifford, 76, lost their lives in the accident. The Cessna was performing a stop-and-go landing at the time. A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) shows the planes collided around 150 feet above the ground, near the runway intersection. Just before the crash, the Cessna had communicated its landing intentions over the radio. The Lancair pilot also made a radio call, stating he was going around for another landing. After the collision, the Cessna instructor took control and managed to land safely. Despite some damage to the Cessna's propeller, its passengers were unharmed. Meanwhile, the Lancair was engulfed in flames, with debris scattered across the runway. This crash occurred at an airfield lacking a control tower, relying on Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) for communications among pilots. Local authorities are considering adding a control tower, as this marks the second aviation accident in the area since October.