Nevada
Deadliest plane crashes that shaped Nevada’s history and what caused them

American Airlines plane crash investigation underway in DC
Authorities are investigating how two aircraft crashed in mid-air despite normal flight patterns and communications.
On Wednesday, an American Airlines passenger plane and U.S. Army helicopter collided over the Potomac in Washington, D.C. Officials have said there are no survivors among the 67 people on both crafts, making it the deadliest U.S. air crash in the last 25 years.
In Nevada, the deadliest plane crash was in 1964. A four-engine Constellation operated by California’s Paradise Airlines traveling from Oakland crashed in a mountain near Lake Tahoe after two failed attempts to land at the nearby airport.
Here’s a look at notable plane crashes in Nevada history:
Jan. 16, 1942: TWA Flight 3
Hollywood star Carole Lombard, wife of Clark Gable, was on board TWA Flight 3, which crashed shortly after taking off from McCarran Field in Las Vegas.
The crash killed Lombard and 21 other people when the plane crashed into Potosi Mountain southwest of what is now the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
The beacon that could have prevented a collision with the mountainside was turned off because of fears that Japanese warplanes would be poised to attack the Western U.S. during WWII.
Nov. 17, 1955: C-54 crash at Mt. Charleston
During a raging storm in the Spring Mountains near Las Vegas, a U.S. Air Force C-54 was making a routine trip from Burbank, California, to Area 51 in Southern Nevada, where the military was working on the U-2 plane.
Because of the secrecy around the military base, the C-54 crew were never in contact with air traffic control. The plane took a new route that would cut 10 minutes off the total flight time, but was blown off course by the storm.
The plane failed to clear Mt. Charleston by just 50 feet. All 14 crew members aboard died.
Because of the secrecy around Area 51 and the Cold War at the time, the crash and its victims were largely hidden for decades, even from the victims’ families.
A 1998 investigation by hiker Steven Ririe gave closure to families when he confirmed the victims’ deaths and cause. Ririe also brought the investigation to lawmakers, which led to the first national Cold War veterans memorial. The memorial is now at the crash site atop Mt. Charleston.
April 21, 1958: United Air Lines Flight 736
More than five decades ago, a fighter jet from Nellis Airforce Base collided with a United Airlines flight from Los Angeles 21,000 feet above the valley southwest of Las Vegas. It killed the two men aboard the fighter jet and the 47 people on the airline.
The crash occurred when the Air Force student pilot was practicing a maneuver that involved climbing to 28,000 feet and diving almost vertical to “simulate a rapid insertion into enemy airspace.”
The accident became a national example of a need for further air travel precautions in the U.S. and was mentioned specifically by then-President Dwight Eisenhower when signing the Federal Aviation Act, which ordered the creation of what is now the Federal Aviation Administration and many modern flight safety measures.
It is also one of the reasons that military flight practice is no longer permitted above cities or commercial corridors.
March 1, 1964: Paradise Airlines Flight 901A
More than 60 years ago, passengers boarded California’s Paradise Airlines Flight 901A in Oakland for what would be the deadliest flight in Nevada history. The plane made plans to stop in Salinas and San Jose, California, before arriving at the airport in Lake Tahoe. However, after failing to land at Lake Tahoe because of low visibility due to a snow storm, the pilot decided to change course and attempt to land in Reno.
The low visibility coupled with a malfunctioning compass caused the plane to crash into a mountainside one mile south of Genoa Peak in Nevada. Reports say if the plane was 100 feet higher, it would have cleared the pass.
There were no survivors. The 85 people aboard the plane were not found in the snow until the next morning.
Nov. 15, 1964: Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114
A misinterpretation of the approach chart by the plane’s captain likely led to a premature descent during a storm near Las Vegas, which led to Flight 114 crashing. The crash killed all 29 people aboard the passenger aircraft.
That year was the deadliest for Nevada air travel, with 116 fatalities. In addition to the Paradise and Bonanza airline crashes, another accident at Austin on Aug. 26, 1964, killed two forest service staff while they were agricultural spraying.
Aug. 30, 1978: Las Vegas Airlines Flight 44
Las Vegas Airlines Flight 44 crashed during takeoff in a field near what is now Rancho Drive and Cheyenne Avenue in North Las Vegas. The plane was headed for Santa Ana, California, but hit the ground 1,000 feet from the end of the runway.
The crash happened because of a malfunction with a bolt that caused the pilot to be unable to stop the plane from flying nose-up and stalling, reported the Las Vegas Review Journal. All 10 people aboard the plane died.
Jan. 21,1985: Galaxy Airline Flight 203
On Jan. 21, 1985, Galaxy Airlines Flight 203 crashed into a Reno field at South Virginia Street and Neil Road just after takeoff at 1 a.m. The charter flight was carrying football fans returning to Minneapolis after the Super Bowl in Stanford, California, with 71 passengers and crew on board. Only one person, 17-year-old George Lamson Jr., survived the crash.
The plane went down when the pilot, Allen Heasley, reacted incorrectly to a vibration by ordering an engine power reduction.
Galaxy Grove, a memorial tribute to the passengers and crew of Galaxy Flight 203, was dedicated at Rancho San Rafael Park in 1986 and features a bronze plaque among a grove of pine trees.
Jan. 21 ,1985: Steve Fossett plane crash
Millionaire adventurer Steve Fossett’s plane went missing over the Great Basin desert on Sept. 3, 2007.
Fossett, 63, famed for his solo flights around the world in planes and hot air balloons, departed alone in a single-engine, two-seat aerobatic plane about 9 a.m., from a private airstrip on a ranch near Yerington owned by hotel mogul Barron Hilton. He failed to return as scheduled a couple of hours later.
A 7,500-square-mile search went on for several days from Minden-Tahoe Airport in Douglas County, with as many as 14 aircraft from the Civil Air Patrol, the Nevada Air National Guard and Fallon Naval Air Station between Yerington and Bishop, California, all on duty.
Fossett’s plane was not found until a year later on Sept. 29, 2008, by two hikers exploring the area. The likely cause of the crash was “the pilot’s inadvertent encounter with downdrafts that exceeded the climb capability of the airplane,” the National Transportation Safety Board said.
Sept. 16, 2011: P-51 Mustang crashes into crowd at Reno Air Races
Eleven people were killed during the 2011 National Championship Air Races in Reno when Galloping Ghost, a highly modified WWII P-51 Mustang piloted by Jimmy Leeward, nosed-dived into the ground where spectators were sitting. At least 65 more people were seriously injured, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation, though other accounts report more.
“It was a war zone,” Linda Elvin, a survivor who lost her leg in the accident, told the RGJ in 2016.
The 2011 Reno air races crash is deadliest accident at the air races. In addition to Leeward and the spectators, 22 pilots and a wing-walker died in accidents at the air races since the 1970s.
July 17, 2022: Two planes collide at North Las Vegas airport
Donald Goldberg and Carol Ann Scanlon, who were flying a Piper PA-46, were completing a flight when they collided with flight instructor Anthony Chiaramonti and flight student Zachary Rainey above the North Las Vegas Airport in 2022. Chiaramonti and Rainey were conducting takeoffs and landings in a single-engine Cessna at the time.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation determined the crash was likely caused because of the Piper pilot’s “failure to ensure that the airplane was aligned with the correct runway,” reported KTNV. Air traffic control also likely failed to provide timely traffic information to either airplane or recognize the developing conflict which resulted in the tragedy.
Feb. 24, 2023: Care flight crash
A Pilatus PC-12 plane managed by Washoe’s Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority broke apart mid-flight outside Reno during a snow storm on Feb. 24 before crashing near Stagecoach. Five people died in the Care Flight that was on its way to transport a patient to Salt Lake City.
The crash was the fourth National Transportation Safety Board investigation involving a Guardian Flight-owned plane from 2018 to 2023, three of which were fatal and led to 11 deaths.

Nevada
Second annual Silver & Black Gala raises $3 million for youth mental health services in Nevada
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – The Raiders Foundation proudly hosted the second annual Silver & Black Gala on May 17 at Allegiant Stadium, raising an impressive $3 million to benefit youth mental health initiatives across Nevada. Building on the success of its inaugural year and seeing considerable growth, the Gala once again spotlighted the Foundation’s commitment to uplifting communities through access, awareness, and action.
Presented by Intermountain Health, the evening gathered nearly 1,000 attendees, including local business leaders, public officials, and a contingent of Raiders, including alumni, current players, and front office staff for a powerful night of giving. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the Gala will directly fund mental health services, programs, and resources for youth in Southern Nevada.
The evening began with an impassioned speech from Raiders Owner Mark Davis, who lit the Al Davis Memorial Torch in honor of Elaine Wynn, followed by a surprise $1 million donation from the Raiders Foundation to four Nevada-based organizations delivering critical mental health support to young people: Boys Town Nevada, Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada, Solutions for Change, and Campus for Hope.
“Mental health is a critical pillar of well-being, especially for our youth,” said Sandra Douglass Morgan, President of the Las Vegas Raiders. “The Raiders are proud to leverage the power of this organization and the generosity of our community to help remove the stigma and expand access to essential resources. The Silver & Black Gala represents more than a night of giving — it’s a statement of our long-term commitment to the health and future of Nevada’s youth.”
“The overwhelming support we received at this year’s Gala reflects how deeply our community cares about the mental health of our young people,” said Kari Uyehara, Executive Director of the Raiders Foundation. “It’s an honor to channel that generosity directly into programs making an immediate and lasting impact. We’re especially proud to recognize and support organizations doing the hard work on the ground every day to lift up Nevada’s youth.”
Each of the four nonprofit recipients expressed deep gratitude for the unexpected investment:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Raiders Foundation for recognizing the importance of early mental health intervention,” said Executive Director of Boys Town Nevada John Etzell. “This support enables us to expand vital programs that help young people develop resilience, heal from trauma, and build brighter futures.”
“This gift is truly transformational for the young clients we serve,” said Community Counseling Center of Southern Nevada Executive Director Patrick Bozarth. “Mental health care should never be a luxury, and with the Raiders Foundation’s investment, we can reach more youth with the timely, compassionate support they deserve.”
“The Raiders Foundation’s leadership in mental health advocacy is inspiring,” said Danisha Mingo, Founder and Executive Director of Solutions for Change. “This funding allows us to continue our mission of empowering youth through education, therapeutic care, and community engagement — all essential tools in breaking the cycle of trauma and adversity.”
“This generous support from the Raiders Foundation strengthens our ability to meet youth where they are — with empathy, safety, and resources,” said Campus for Hope CEO Kim Jeffries. “Together, we’re building a healthier Nevada where no young person feels invisible or alone.”
The evening also featured the presentation of the “Commitment to Excellence Award” to Gary and Debbie Ackerman from Gaudin Ford and Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons in recognition of their outstanding philanthropic and community leadership.
Among the night’s highlights:
- A Ford Shelby F-250, donated by Gaudin Motor Company, was auctioned for $250,000.
- A private dinner with Mark Davis, Tom Brady, and Charles Woodson sold for $300,000.
- Raiders: The Opus, Silver Torch Edition, a 936-page book infused with the first 60 years of the Silver and Black, sold for $1M during the live auction.
- Stevie Wonder thrilled the audience with an unforgettable 1.5-hour performance.
Notable guests included Owner Mark Davis, President Sandra Douglass Morgan, Head Coach Pete Carroll, and General Manager John Spytek, along with Raiders Alumni Charles Woodson, Jim Plunkett, Eric Allen, and Marcus Allen. More than 40 current Raiders players attended, including Maxx Crosby, Geno Smith, Daniel Carlson, and Jackson Powers-Johnson.
For more information about the Raiders Foundation and future events, visit raiders.com/foundation.
Nevada
What will Nevada do with two weeks left in the Legislature?

The end is near. Don’t worry, it’s not the apocalypse. It’s just the Nevada Legislature.
Legislators are burning the midnight oil pushing through hundreds of bills. Last week marked the major second committee passage deadline, and there is one more major deadline between now and the final day of session on June 2.
Bills without exemptions must pass out of the second house by Friday, May 23, to get the governor’s consideration.
That means there are roughly two weeks for committees to consider some of the most talked-about legislation of the session. Lombardo’s remaining four priority pieces of legislation still need to have their first hearings. At least one of the bills is scheduled to go in front of the Assembly Ways and Means committee this week. Assembly Bill 584, his education package, will be heard Tuesday morning.
But beware: a deadline failure does not mean a piece of legislation is doomed. Policies can be revived or amended into existing bills, prolonging their discussions until sine die, when this session ends.
Here’s what’s been going on in Nevada’s capital.
Recapping the recent deadline
Last week was eventful for the biennial Legislature. It pushed bills through the second committee passage deadline, and advanced some major bills that had been exempt from the deadline.
First, the bid to stop Nevada’s clocks from changing twice a year failed. AB 81, which would have exempted Nevada from daylight saving time, didn’t make it out of the second committee passage.
An amended version of the governor’s AB 540, called the Nevada Housing Access and Attainability Act, passed out of the Assembly Committee on Commerce and Labor on Friday – the first of the governor’s priority bills to make through committee.
It was amended to decrease the amount put into the proposed Nevada Attainable Housing Fund from $200 million to $150 million, and to remove a portion that would have allowed attainable housing projects to be exempt from prevailing wage requirements.
In other news from deadline day, an amended version of the SB 179, which would allow the Nevada Equal Rights Commission to investigate claims of antisemitism in housing, public accommodations and employment, passed out of committee.
During bill’s discussion May 13, Jewish advocacy groups called for the bill to be amended to use the widely recognized definition of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
Other dead bills
In addition to the death of the daylight saving time bill, 30 other measures failed to advance the Friday deadline.
Those bills include:
- AB 156 would have increased the salary of Clark County School District trustees to the base salary of a county commissioner.
- AB 291 would have automatically sealed criminal records for defendants who had their charges dismissed or who were acquitted.
- SB 143 would have required a study on artificial turf and synthetic grass during the 2025-2026 interim.
- SB 324 would have prohibited the sale of most water bottles in communities abutting Lake Tahoe.
It’s far less than the 281 measures that failed the first committee passage deadline on April 11. But there are still 414 bills and resolutions as of Monday that are exempt from all deadlines, most often because they contain an appropriation or would have a fiscal or revenue impact to the state.
Monday updates
That brings us to Monday. Agendas have grown longer for money committees where lawmakers are hearing bills with significant fiscal impact to the state, some for the first time. The Senate approved SB 89, a bill preventing someone convicted of a misdemeanor hate crime from purchasing or owning firearms for up to 10 years after the conviction. The bill passed 12-8 and still must be considered by the Assembly.
The Democrats’ answer to education policy — SB 460 sponsored by state Sen. Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro – was heard for the first time Monday afternoon.
Contact McKenna Ross at mross@reviewjournal.com and Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mckenna_ross_ and @jess_hillyeah on X.
Nevada
EDITORIAL: New CCEA-backed scheme would strike out students

The problems with Nevada’s public schools won’t be fixed by teachers spending less time in the classroom. Yet that could be a consequence of a proposal pending in Carson City.
The Senate Government Affairs Committee recently heard Senate Bill 161 and moved it to the floor. The bill would allow teachers unions to petition a court for the ability to strike. It’s now illegal for Nevada public employees to strike.
Under the legislation, a union could justify a strike based on grievances involving class size, the number of teachers in the district or a policy related to the emotional or mental health of teachers. A court could sanction a strike upon a finding that it would “be equally or less detrimental” to students “than the continuance of the alleged policy or condition.”
Further, the bill would remove penalties on teachers who engaged in an illegal strike. Only the union could be punished. And it would redefine the legal definition of “strike” to exclude teachers coordinating sick-outs or walking out of individual schools.
It isn’t hard to figure out who this bill would benefit — and it’s not students.
Fewer than two years ago, the Clark County Education Association attempted to use tactics such as these to pressure the Clark County School District during contentious contract negotiations. The district went to court to prevent the union from striking. A judge ruled against the district, finding there wasn’t enough evidence that the union would initiate a work stoppage. Then several schools couldn’t open because of rolling sick-outs.
“The court finds that a strike has occurred,” District Judge Crystal Eller said in September 2023. She imposed a preliminary injunction, and both school and contract negotiations continued. The district and union eventually agreed to a lucrative pay package for teachers.
But the union wasn’t satisfied. It collected signatures for a ballot measure that would allow teachers to strike. In Nevada, initiatives go to the Legislature before the voters. The union wants to use the threat of that initiative as leverage to pass a bill such as SB161, which is slightly less destructive. In Nevada, enabled by a compliant state Supreme Court, initiative sponsors can withdraw their initiatives.
But this legalized blackmail works only if your opponents believe the initiative will pass. That’s unlikely in this case. There are good reasons to ban public employees from striking. Strikes by public employees are strikes against the public and, in some cases, threaten public safety. Public employees shouldn’t be able to extort concessions from the taxpayers who support them. Nevada’s binding arbitration process is already slanted in favor of the union.
Allowing teachers to strike is bad policy. Democrats should be working to advance the interests of students, not union officials.
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