MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The two plane crash victims inside the Lancair 3600 that crashed at the Marana Regional Airport Wednesday morning Feb. 19 have been identified as Michael Reinath, 70, and Linda Gifford, 76, according to a press release from the town of Marana.
The Lancair was one of two single-engine fixed-wing planes that collided midair at the Marana Regional Airport last month.
The two people inside the second plane, a Cessna 172, were uninjured.
FAA records show Reinath registered his plane in Rio Vista, California. The Lancair 3800 was built from a kit in 2001 — 24 years ago. FAA records indicate Reinath owned the plane for all of that time.
KGUN 9 found he had an additional address in a small town in northwest Maricopa County. His home there was in a flight-oriented community that had its own runway. Radar tracks from the day of the accident appear to show Reinath’s flight began from that area.
Reinath was an aeronautical engineer who worked for NASA at its Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. The Ames Research Center develops advanced technology for aircraft on Earth and spacecraft in space.
Reinath was the author of many articles on advanced aeronautical research.
The investigation is ongoing and is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board, according to the release.
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