1 dead after jets collide on airport runway in Arizona

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — At least one person was killed and four others were injured after two jets collided on the runway on Monday afternoon at Scottsdale Airport in the southwestern US state of Arizona, authorities said.

"A Learjet 35A veered off the runway after landing and crashed into a Gulfstream 200 business jet on the ramp at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona around 2:45 pm local time Monday," said the US Federal Aviation Administration in a statement.

It appeared that the left main landing gear of the arriving jet failed, resulting in the collision, said Kelli Kuester, aviation planning and outreach coordinator at the Scottsdale Airport.

At a news conference, Scottsdale Fire Department Captain Dave Folio said five people were involved in the crash. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, while two others were taken to local trauma centers in critical condition. Another person required medical attention, but the treatment was delayed, and a fifth individual refused treatment.

Officials said the US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

Kuester said four people were on the arriving jet, which had come from Austin, Texas, and one person was in the parked plane.

The runway has been closed and will remain closed "for the foreseeable future", Kuester added.

Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said in a statement that she is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with the airport, police and federal agencies.

The airport is a popular hub for jets coming in and out of the Phoenix area, especially during big sports weekends. The collision comes after three major US aviation disasters in the past two weeks.

Xinhua - Agencies