UPDATE: Small plane that crashed in Pahrump faced mechanical issue, officials say
Two men escaped serious injuries following what authorities are describing as a small airplane crash on the north end of Pahrump.
Initial reports indicate the incident occurred at roughly 7:55 a.m. on Monday, July 17 when area first responders were dispatched to the scene at a dirt field just west of Highway 160 and Simkins Road, according to Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services Chief Scott Lewis.
“Crews arrived to find a fixed-wing, single-engine, two-seat small aircraft located on the west shoulder of Highway 160,” Lewis told the Pahrump Valley Times. “The pilot apparently was attempting to take off from the Calvada Meadows Airport when he experienced a mechanical issue, then swung around in an attempt to land back at the airport, but was unsuccessful.”
Pilot performance lauded
The aircraft, Lewis said, ended up skidding across Highway 160, where it plowed over a street sign and came to a stop in a dirt field just west of the highway.
Both Lewis and Nye County Sheriff Joe McGill said the pilot performed admirably to safely land the plane with no injuries.
“The aircraft is pretty much damaged, but the pilot and passenger both walked away without a scratch,” McGill said.
Feds responded
As a result of the crash, additional area agencies, including NHP, the Nye County Road Department and Federal Aviation Administration investigators, also responded to the scene.
Sections of the roadways involved were blocked off to motorists as crews worked to initially investigate the crash and clear the scene.
Timely cleanup
The roads surrounding crash site were reopened roughly two hours after the first reports of the crash were received by Nye County dispatch.
“It was not a long time, considering the incident,” McGill noted. “There were some liquids that spilled from the plane, and crews from Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services managed that situation, and again, there were no injuries.”
The plane, registered out of Enterprise, Utah with a valid status was piloted by Hans Christensen, according to the FAA.
The model of the aircraft is a Glasair III, manufactured in 1997.
