Las Vegas – Houston

On August 29, 1971 at 02:50 PM, Las Vegas – Houston experienced a crash involving Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor, operated by Harry Noe, with the event recorded near Prescott Arizona.

The flight was categorized as private and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 66.7%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 5, passenger fatalities: 4, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. En route from Las Vegas to Houston, the left engine failed. The pilot was able to feather the propeller but unable to maintain a safe altitude. He informed ATC about his situation and was cleared to divert to the nearest airport for an emergency landing. While trying to land at a ranch airstrip, the airplane hit a wood pile and crashed in flamers. The pilot and a passenger were seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N74Q, MSN AF-290, year of manufacture 1953.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 34.5400°, -112.4688°.