All three people aboard a Challenger 605 were killed when the aircraft crashed near Truckee-Tahoe Airport on Monday. The flight originated in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Identities of the victims were not immediately released. The aircraft was registered to Tarco Aviation Funding LLC in Fort Lauderdale but its flight history suggests it was based in the West.
The aircraft left Idaho about 11:45 a.m. and went down while on final approach at about 1:18 p.m. The plane crashed adjacent to a golf course and a short distance from the airport. It ignited a small wildfire, which was extinguished quickly by first responders.
Truckee A/P is tricky to fly into and out of under many circumstances. There was reportedly lots of smoke and poor visibility. The apparently non obvious alternative was Reno/Tahoe International, just a few minutes east and much safer under the conditions. Too bad.
There will be a lot of questions to be answered on this accident. Can’t understand why they flew the RNAV to runway 20 circle to 11, when there is a RNAV straight in to runway 11. There is a video on another web site that has audio and a very quick glimpse of plane right at impact. This airport presents a lot of terrain to deal with especially when doing any kind of maneuvering in the pattern. I have landed there in a Piaggio, hard to imagine doing that in a faster jet. The turn made to start circle looks like it was too close to airport according to the radar track on other web sites. And then there are the legalities involved. RIP to those who passed.