Report: Student was at the controls in crash of experimental plane
The experimental aircraft that hit a car on Rancho Drive on Oct. 30 was being flown by a student pilot with an instructor on board, according to a preliminary accident report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The plane, a Hallbauer Dragonfly Mark II, hit a runway light during takeoff from the North Las Vegas Airport at 4:50 p.m. After hitting the light, the plane reached about 200 feet, made a right turn and couldn’t continue to climb, according to the report.
The plane hit the roof of a passing Chevrolet Tahoe before skidding across traffic and crashing. The student pilot, who also owned the plane, received minor injuries. The instructor received serious injuries. No one else was injured in the accident.
Federal Aviation Administration records show the plane is owned by Tang Yun Chieh of Las Vegas. A piece of the airplane’s canard, or horizontal stabilizer, was found near the runway light, according to the report.
