LAS VEGAS (AP) — Military and federal authorities said Tuesday they were probing the cause of a fighter jet crash that killed a civilian pilot from Las Vegas but did not injure anyone on the ground in a residential area near Nellis Air Force Base.
The Dassault Mirage F-1 that crashed Monday afternoon was owned and operated by a Florida-based Draken US, a military contractor providing “adversary air support” during aerial war games flown from Nellis into restricted air space over central Nevada, a statement from the base said.
The pilot was Nicholas Hunter Hamilton, 43, the Clark County coroner said. He was the only person aboard the French aircraft, which records show was built in 1982.
The National Transportation Safety Board joined military officials in the investigation. Agency spokesman Eric Weiss said Tuesday it was too early to report on a cause of the crash.
Preliminary findings will be released within two weeks, Weiss said, and findings and a final report could take up to two years.
Draken spokeswoman Christina Childs said the company, based in Lakeland, Florida, was cooperating with federal, state and local authorities including the NTSB.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people and families affected by this event,” the company said a statement.
Draken provides tactical aircraft, “adversarial support, electronic attack or customized rotary wing training,” and pilots including former U.S. military personnel, for combat training at Nellis and other sites.
“We train the next generation of fighter pilots which is a crucial aspect of our national security,” Childs said in an email.