Police say plane crash north of Las Vegas Valley ‘not survivable’

Las Vegas police said a plane crash Tuesday evening near a mountain north of the Las Vegas Valley was “not survivable.”

A single-engine Cirrus SR22 crashed about 5:35 p.m. under unknown circumstances near Gass Peak, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said in an email. “Initial reports” indicated that three people were onboard, he said.

Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Brian Boxler said the department’s search and rescue helicopter determined the crash wasn’t survivable and “there will be no rescue efforts” Tuesday night. The investigation will continue Wednesday.

Nellis Air Force Base reported that no military aircraft crashed, and the crash is believed to involve a “civilian” plane, Boxler said.

Las Vegas Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said dispatchers first received 911 calls about 5:45 p.m. reporting fire on top of the mountain, which is north of the Clark County Shooting Complex, 11357 N. Decatur Blvd.

Szymanski said city fire crews left the scene after finding no evidence of a crash in areas accessible to vehicles. Metro then sent a helicopter to search the area.

“We went as far north as the shooting range, and there’s nothing on the ground,” Szymanski said. “The place where the people said it was is inaccessible to vehicles, it’s so high.”

Gregor said it appeared the plane caught fire after crashing. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the cause of the crash, which may take a year or more, he said.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.