Arizona Has More Plane Crashes Than Rest of U.S.

A fatal plane crash in north Phoenix was Arizona’s ninth of the year.

Safety experts have no clear explanation why Arizona consistently records higher fatal-crash rates for light aircraft than the rest of the United States.

An Arizona Republic analysis of National Transportation Safety Board data shows there have been 75 general-aviation crashes in Arizona since 2005. The crashes killed 135 pilots and passengers.

Aviation experts say Arizona pilots can take steps to lessen the risk of flying by brushing up on mountain flying and not loading up aircraft with unnecessary weight.

A male pilot was killed last week when his single-engine plane crashed into a warehouse in north Phoenix. Witnesses believe he was attempting a turning maneuver when he went down.