LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — National Transportation Safety Board officials said weather played a part in a plane crash that left six people dead.
This happened last month after a flight left Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas to head to the French Valley Airport near Murrieta, California. That's about 80 miles away from Los Angeles.
According to a preliminary report, the Cessna 550 had two crew members and four passengers and the flight landed in Las Vegas around 10:04 p.m. on July 7. The report states the plane then left Harry Reid International Airport at 3:16 a.m. on July 8.
Flight data said the airplane leveled off at 19,000 feet as it made its way to California. About 58 miles north of French Valley Airport, the airplane started its descent and the pilot checked in with Air Traffic Control, received updated weather data, and requested clearance to approach the runway.
According to the automated weather observing system, the report states the French Valley Airport had clear skies with visibility of 10 statute miles at 3:35 a.m. However, 20 minutes later, the weather changed and was overcast with visibility of only three quarters of a mile. At 4:11 a.m, around the time of the crash, fog rolled in causing visibility to be even worse and it was reduced to half a mile.
During the first attempt to land, the report states the plane descended to 1,600 feet and "executed a missed approach." The pilot then checked in with air traffic control and requested clearance to try landing again. The plane went up to 5,000 feet and waited until he was cleared to make a second attempt.
While coming in to land on the second attempt, the plane crashed about 800 feet short of the runway before bursting into flames. Investigators said everyone on board died at the scene. That included California residents 31-year-old Lindsey Gleiche, 25-year-old Riese Lenders, 51-year-old Alma Razick, 46-year-old Ibrahem Razick, 33-year-old Abigail Tellez-Vargas, and 32-year-old Manuel Vargas-Regalado.
The NTSB's report states the wreckage was recovered and taken to a secure facility to be examined further. No immediate cause of the crash was released. However, that's not unusual for NTSB investigations. Their investigations usually take a year or two while officials put together a final report.
