4 killed when 2 small airplanes collide mid-air at North Las Vegas Airport

NORTH LAS VEGAS -- Four people were killed when two small airplanes collided in mid-air at an airport near Las Vegas, officials say.

The collision happened around noon Sunday at the North Las Vegas Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration says a single-engine Piper PA-46 and a single-engine Cessna 172 collided in the traffic pattern around noon Sunday.

FAA officials say the Piper PA-46 was preparing to land when it collided with the Cessna 172. The Piper crashed into in a field east of Runway 30-Right and the Cessna fell into a water retention pond. Authorities say two people were in each plane.

The North Las Vegas Fire Department confirmed four fatalities at the scene.

North Las Vegas Airport is a public-use facility about three miles north of downtown Las Vegas. It is used primarily by smaller aircraft for general aviation and scenic tours.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.