The incident occurred on Wednesday at around 8:28 a.m. near the Marana Regional Airport, just northwest of Tucson, according to preliminary information from the National Transportation Safety Board. A Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II collided while upwind of runway 12, one of two runways at the airport. The Cessna landed uneventfully, while the Lancair impacted terrain near the other runway and a post-impact fire ensued. The Marana Police Department confirmed two deaths from the incident, with two people on each plane, according to the Town of Marana.

The airport is closed while the investigation is ongoing, and an NTSB investigator is expected to arrive to document the scene and examine the aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration is also responding to the incident. The collision follows a recent string of aviation incidents, including a midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which killed 67 people, and a crash of a medevac plane in Philadelphia. The incident has raised concerns about air safety, particularly at uncontrolled fields like Marana Regional Airport, which does not have an operating air traffic control tower. Pilots often use a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to announce their position to other pilots who are in the airport vicinity.

Smaller planes like the ones involved in the collision are statistically more likely to experience incidents, as they are not as heavily regulated as commercial flights. The National Air and Space Museum estimates that there are over 340,000 general aviation aircraft around the world, with US pilots operating 204,000 of them. The FAA rules for private and general aviation aircraft are less strict than those for commercial flights, but they are still inspected and maintained. The incident is a reminder of the importance of air safety and the need for vigilance among pilots and air traffic controllers. The use of technology such as air traffic control systems and collision avoidance systems can help to prevent such incidents in the future.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and it is expected to provide more information about the cause of the collision. In the meantime, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of air travel, particularly at small airports like Marana Regional Airport. The airport has two intersecting runways and operates without an air traffic control tower, which can increase the risk of collisions. However, experts say that just because an airport doesn't have a control tower doesn't mean it's unsafe, as pilots are still required to follow regulations and use designated radio channels to announce their intentions.

Here is a list of recent aviation incidents: * January 29: Midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people * January 31: Crash of a medevac plane in Philadelphia, killing 7 people * February: Crash of a plane near Nome, Alaska, killing 10 people * February: Private plane ran off the runway in Scottsdale, Arizona, killing the pilot on board * February: Delta Air Lines regional jet rolled over on the runway on arrival in Toronto, with all 80 people on board surviving. The incident is a reminder of the importance of air safety and the need for continued investment in air traffic control technology and staffing.