Pilot whose plane crashed into home identified

Published Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 9:43 a.m.

Updated Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 | 11:51 a.m.

N. Las Vegas Plane Crash

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An experimental plane crashed into a home Friday morning in North Las Vegas, killing the pilot and two people on the ground.

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North Las Vegas plane crash

Plane maker ‘saddened,’ says design not at fault

New information has been learned about 76-year-old Mack Creekmoore Murphree Jr., of Dayton, Nev., who was at the controls of the experimental aircraft that crashed into a northwestern Las Vegas house on Friday, killing himself and two residents in the home.

Murphree had been licensed as an airline transport pilot both for single engine and commercial aircraft, Federal Aviation Administration records reveal.

He also had privileges to pilot multiengines and private pilot privileges for Glide AeroTow. He was licensed as a ground instructor and a flight engineer for turbojet powered craft, as well as a mechanic.

Murphree owned a Stits Playboy SA3B single-engine fixed wing aircraft that could be used for stunts.

The Clark County coroner's office said the cause of his death was multiple injuries due to the crash of a Velocity 173 RG, an aircraft made from a kit, that he piloted Friday.

Neighbors also said that Lucy Costa, 76, of North Las Vegas and her husband, Jack Costa, 80, were in the home at the time of the crash. The coroner's office said that Lucy Costa died from acute carbon monoxide poisoning from the fiery crash that demolished their home at 2313 Langdon Way about 6:28 a.m. Friday.

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor said that authorities are still investigating whether the Velocity aircraft that crashed had been flown long enough to fly in populated areas. Experimental aircraft typically must be flown 25 to 40 hours in rural, unpopulated areas before attempting a flight over populated areas, FAA regulations state.

The National Transportation Safety Board began combing through the plane's wreckage in a North Las Vegas warehouse this weekend. Eliott Simpson, the principal air investigator, said it could be a week before preliminary results from the crash are known.

The plane is owned by Mike L. Killgore, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

It had been flown a total of five hours out of Boulder City and Jean airports in Southern Nevada after it was registered in 2002 with the FAA, Gregor said.

Friday's flight of the four-seat aircraft with a single propeller mounted in the rear was the first takeoff of the craft from North Las Vegas Airport, officials said.

Clark County Aviation Director Randall Walker said he will seek help from the Nevada congressional delegation to ban experimental aircraft from busy airports like North Las Vegas, which has had a history of mishaps and accidents in the past.

Current flight regulations are governed by the federal government.

North Las Vegas is ranked as the second busiest airport in Nevada.

Discussion: 7 comments so far…

By lemahj

8/25/08 at 2:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

"Clark County Aviation Director Randall Walker said he will seek help from the Nevada congressional delegation to ban experimental aircraft from busy airports like North Las Vegas, which has had a history of mishaps and accidents in the past."

I think Randall Walker should be fired for making such an ignorant comment. This guy hold the position of Clark County Aviation Director . . . he should know better. This sounds more like political talk to stir up the people. Nope, his type is not needed . . . time to show him the door.
By littlerosecon

8/25/08 at 5:12 p.m.

Suggest removal

I don't know who's to blame for even allowing this experimental plane to take off from that dangerous airport, especially on a runway that deadends into a housing subdivision. Couldn't they have directed an experimental plane to another "less dangerous" runway?

Also, everyone keeps acting like the people in the house were the only "victims". The way I see it is that this pilot was very, very qualified and experienced, and fell "victim" to a piece of junk they called an experimental plane. He was obviously hired by the owner to fly this plane, for whatever reason, but probably to check it out and make sure it was "Safe"... instead, he lost his life and his family who were expecting him back, lost their husband, father and grandfather. He was more than a pilot, he was an extraordinary human being!
By buzzbomb

8/25/08 at 8 p.m.

Suggest removal

Firstly I would like to say that I'm sorry for everyone who experienced a loss in this tragedy.

Secondly I would like to weigh in the "experimental junker" assumption. The term "experimental" is really a misnomer. To assume this was a piece of junk is not correct either. I think the use of the word experimental goes back to the early days of aviation. In todays world "experimental" aircraft are tested proven designs which are inspected by faa dessignees before they are ever flown. There are thousands of experimental aircraft that fly both regularly & safely. Statistically I do not believe that experimental light planes go down more often than certified light planes. Often designers & manufacturers do not seek certification of these models due to red tape & expense that could never be passed on to the purchaser.

I'm sure that this was a comptetent pilot who did a thorough pre-flight inspection. Sadly, whether with light single engine aircraft or airliners like the md-80 that went down in Madrid sometimes unforeseen problems will bring down an aircraft. This has been the nature of flight since Kittyhawk. Every take off & landing from every airport has some inherent risk. Perhaps developments are too close.

It is not so much that there is someone to blame, rather there is something to learn in order to enhance safety in the future.
By dougnlina

8/25/08 at 8:06 p.m.

Suggest removal

Aviation Director Randall Walker is using this tragedy to grandstand for some other political gain. I'm sure he has a lot of "pull" with the FAAs people in DC. The Pilot, Mack Creekmoore Murphree, decided to fly this Experimental aircraft because he felt it was safe, not a "piece of junk" He was an experienced pilot with a good track record. Pilots do not fly others aircraft without a good look at the aircraft. Give the NTSB its time to investigate what went wrong, it could be something as simple as the fuel truck putting the wrong fuel into the aircraft. Also Most people do not remember that this airport was in operation long before that subdivision, 1942 in fact. And some blame for this has to be shared by the city managers who have allowed development right up to the end of the runway to begin with. If city planners had the foresight to place a buffer off the end of the runway Randall walker probably would not have an issue right now, two and maybe three people would still be of this world, and the city would have some, God forbid, open space.
By nativeNYer

8/25/08 at 8:39 p.m.

Suggest removal

Greetings from NYC. The victims who died in the house were my dad's brother and his wife. I am writing to express my sincere gratitude to those of you who have expressed kind sentiments about this loving couple on the news reports and throughout the comment postings. There were two gentlemen and one woman, in particular, who shared kind comments about this couple on the web videos which really warmed my heart at such a horrible time. I would also like to thank those who have created a memorial in front of the house which I have read about on the web. Thank you for your kindness. I will refrain from taking a position on the air flight debate but I certainly send out prayers to the pilot's family. My hope is that tragedies like this will continue to bring us all together and encourage improvements across all means of transportation throughout this country.
By Planetearthcalling

8/25/08 at 11:45 p.m.

Suggest removal

My condolences to the family and friends of all who perished in this terrible accident.
By Doug_Rodrigues

8/27/08 at 11:47 p.m.

Suggest removal

Orville Wright once said, “If you’re looking for perfect safety in an airplane, you would do better to just sit on the fence [and watch]."

Director Randy Walker seems to prefer an airport that isn't used as one. Until the NTSB completes it's thorough investigation, any negative comments about the safety of kit airplanes can only be described as grandstanding and pushing an agenda more compatible with a politician building an empire. His comments appear to intentionally inflame the ignorance of the non-flying public rather than informing the public of the facts. A good example of this is the writer who assumes that "Experimental" aircraft are "a piece of junk." That writer doesn't have a clue of what he speaks about, but after listening to Randy Walker's presentation, a non-aviation person would infer just that! By Randy Walkers standard, automobiles should be banned from freeways because automobiles can be dangerous!

Randy Walker mentions "incursions" as though it's exclusively a North Las Vegas Airport problem. In reality, it's a Nation wide problem but Randy Walker didn‘t say that. For example, the terrible airline crash of not too many years ago at Los Angeles International between two airliners was caused by a runway incursion.

This crash causing the death of two innocent people on the ground and also of the pilot was a terrible thing. I feel very sorry for all three. However, the manner in which Randy Walker jumped on this situation in such a bias and negative manner before the investigation is even completed makes him not worthy of the position of Aviation Director. His actions are akin to the old western lynch mob who strings someone up before the trial.

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