NEED TO KNOW
- Police in Idaho say three people have died after a small private plane crashed into an unoccupied building
- The plane was in the air for just two miles before it slammed into the building, according to data from FlightAware
- One witness told a local news station they saw the plane circle overhead before nosediving into the ground
Three people are dead after a small private plane crashed into an building in Idaho.
“Several 911 calls” came in to Nampa Dispatch regarding the plane crash near Nampa Airport around 5:40 p.m. local time on Sunday, July 27, according to a news release from the Nampa Police Department (NPD).
Police subsequently responded to the scene in the 200 block of N. Venice Street, where they found “a small plane that had crashed” and struck “an unoccupied outbuilding in a residential neighborhood.”
One neighbor told ABC affiliate KIVI-TV he saw the plane circle around the area before nosediving into the ground. Another person said he saw the smoke from the crash from miles away.
Footage from KIVI-TV and NBC affiliate KTVB showed the mangled plane sitting in the yard of a home.
Three people were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash, police said. None of them survived, and their identities have not yet been released.
Two of the victims died at the scene, while the third died at a hospital, according to KTVB. Meanwhile, police said “no one on the ground was injured.”
“Definitely, our hearts and prayers go out to the families that are involved with this,” NPD Lieutenant Brad Childress told KIVI-TV. “It’s never good news to receive that information.”
In a statement shared by the NPD, Mayor Debbie Kling said, “My heart grieves for those who tragically lost their life. Our thoughts and prayers are with their extended family during this difficult time.”
The aircraft involved in the crash was a Mooney M-20, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Registry and FlightAware.
The fixed-wing single-engine aircraft had a valid certification issued in March 2024, per the FAA Registry. The plane was registered to Sleepytime PLLC out of City of Eagle.
The plane traveled just two miles before crashing, per FlightAware.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash, according to police.
