Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to an aircraft down on Sunday (12/10) at approximately 4 PM. The reporting party advised they saw heavy black smoke near the power lines about 5 miles outside of town. Deputies responded to the reporting party’s residence, who then led deputies to the crash site. Shortly after, a second reporting party advised they were with the pilot, who was alive but seriously injured.

Deputies received information that the plane had taken off from the Sun Valley-Bison-Fort Mohave Airport but reported having engine trouble. The pilot was transported to a Las Vegas hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The investigation was taken over by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).