A Douglas County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle heads for the scene of an airplane crash on Monday morning marked by the smoke plume.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
Officials have confirmed that one person is dead in an airplane crash reported 9:47 a.m. Monday in a field near Minden-Tahoe Airport.
Witnesses said they saw two aircraft collide in mid-air with an explosion before one fell to a field located between Highway 395 and Heybourne Road.
The first deputy on scene reported the aircraft was on its top.
A smoke plume rose over the scene as emergency personnel zigzagged along ranch roads. East Fork firefighters reported that the fire was out at 10:30 a.m.
Investigators also contacted the occupants of the other aircraft, which landed safely.
Only one runway is available at Minden-Tahoe Airport as a result of the crash.