Four dead after two single-engine planes collide mid-air at Las Vegas Airport (photos)

Four people were killed when two small planes collided mid-air at a Nevada airport in Las Vegas.

The fatal accident took place on Sunday afternoon, July 17, at the North Las Vegas Airport, with the North Las Vegas Fire Department confirming the deaths.

The Federal Aviation Administration says that a single-engine Piper PA-46 and a single-engine Cessna 172 collided in the traffic pattern around 12pm.

FAA officials say the Piper PA-46 was preparing to land when it collided with the Cessna 172. Authorities say that two people in each plane.

The Piper crashed into a field east of the runway, while the Cessna fell into a water retention pond.

“Incident Alert- at aprox 12pm today NLVFD and LVFR crews responded to a report of a mid air collision at the North Las Vegas airport. At this time there are 4 reported fatalities. Accident is still under investigation,” tweeted the North Las Vegas Fire Department.

The crash remains under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board. The airport is situated around three miles north of downtown Las Vegas and is used mostly by smaller aircraft.