A-12 Spy Plane crash (#928) in January 1967
There are dozens of aircraft crash sites in the desert around Rachel and the Nellis Ranges. Most of the sites on public land have been cleaned up pretty good soon after the crash, like the Harrier crash in the southern Quinn Canyon Range in the late 1990's. However, there are a few sites where most of the wreckage is still intact, mostly in remote locations. In order to preserve the sites we do not publish the exact locations.
The table below lists all known crash sites around Rachel, NV and the Northern NTTR. With friendly permission by the official Rachel, Nevada Web Site. Thanks also to Chuck Clark from Rachel for providing much of the information below.
For more information, see: United States Air Force - Class A Aerospace Mishaps
| A Dassault Mirage F-1 (N567EM) operated by private contractor Draken International LLC crashed after takeoff in a residential neighborhood less than 2 miles south of Nellis AFB. The aircraft was part of a fleet providing realistic threat and adversary simulation for Air Force pilots. The civilian pilot, Nicholas Hunter Hamilton of Las Vegas, attempted to eject at low altitude but was killed. | 2245 N. Christy Lane, Las Vegas, NV | May 24, 2021 2:19pm |
| Mid-air collision of two USAF Thunderbirds during a training flight. One aircraft made it back to Nellis AFB, the other F-16, Thunderbird #4, impacted the ground at a steep angle. The pilot, first-year Thunderbirds pilot Maj. Stephen Del Bagno, was killed. | Nevada Test and Training Range between Creech AFB and Groom Lake | April 4, 2018 10:30am |
| 2x A-10C (#79-0204 & 78-0657) assigned to the 66th WS, 57th Wing crashed after a mid-air collision during a night time mission; both pilots ejected safely | Range 65C of the NTTR | September 6, 2017 7:44pm |
| Area 51 Red Hat squadron commander Lt. Col. Eric Schultz was killed when his highly classified aircraft crashed during a training flight; aircraft was operated by the Air Force Material Command and is rumored to be a foreign aircraft | NTTR, approximately 100 miles NW of Nellis AFB | September 5, 2017 6pm |
| USAF HH-60 Pave Hawk (#91-026407, 66th RQS, Nellis AFB) crashed during a Red Flag nighttime training mission; crew of 4 survived with minor injuries. | 12 miles north of Hiko | August 18, 2016 9:30pm |
| Douglas A-4 Skyhawk supporting the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB crashed returning from an exercise. Pilot ejected with minor injuries. The aircraft is owned by Draken International, a civilian contractor that provides "adversary" training for Nellis Fighter Weapons School pilots. | 3/4 mile north of Nellis AFB | August 18, 2016 7:40am |
| USAF MQ-9 Reaper UAV (#09-004065), assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB, participating in a combat training mission as part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School Mission Employment phase. No injuries. | 2.5 miles NE of Mt. Irish | December 5, 2012 7:14pm |
| USAF F-15C (#80-0041, 422 TES Nellis AFB), callsign "Eagle 01" on a training exercise, crashed on federal land near Ash Springs. Pilot ejected and was not injured | 3.75 miles ENE of Ash Springs | October 24, 2011 4:05pm |
| USAF F-16C (#85-1413, 64th AGRS, Nellis AFB), crashed during a dog-fight, pilot did not eject and was killed on impact | 20 miles west of Caliente | June 28, 2011 5:30pm |
| USAF F-15D (#85-0131, 65th AGRS, Nellis AFB), one pilot was killed, one survived with injuries | 23 miles NW of Rachel | July 30, 2008 11:40am |
| Beech B-1900C (N27RA), Commuter flight en route from Groom Lake to TTR, pilot suffered a fatal heart attack during approach, pilot and four JT3 contractors died | 7 miles southeast of TTR | March 16, 2004 |
| USAF F-15C (#86-0173), pilot ejected and survived with no injuries | 13 miles north of Rachel | August 3, 2000 10:45am |
| Mid-air collision of two F-15; both crashed; all crew members ejected and survived with some injuries; F-15C (#82-0008) and F-15D (#79-0013) | About 21 miles NW of Rachel, over the dry lake in Railroad Valley ("Bearpaw") | June 16, 1999 5:20pm |
| British GR-7 Harrier; pilot ejected just before impact and survived with numerous broken bones | 8.6 miles NW of Rachel | January 29, 1999 |
| USAF F-117A #83-815, no attempt to eject, accident attributed to spatial disorientation of pilot Major Michael C. Stewart, who was killed on impact | 20NM W of Rachel | October 14, 1987 |
| Mid-air collision of two Norwegian F-16A (#80-3684/684 and #80-3686/686); #686 returned to Nellis, #684 crashed; pilot ejected safely | Rachel Playground | July 10, 1986 |
| Marine Corps Harrier | Near the old Rachel Dump Site | Spring 1984 |
| Lieutenant General Robert M. Bond was killed when he lost control during an evaluation flight with a Russian MiG-23 | Area 25 of the NTS | April 26, 1984 |
| USAF F-4E (#73-1180), both crewmen died | East side of Tempiute Mountain | March 23, 1982 |
| USAF F-16A (#78-0006), pilot ejected safely | 2 miles NE of Rachel (?) | October 1, 1979 |
| Have Blue 1002, test pilot Lt. Col. Norman K. Dyson ejected safely | 35 miles NW of Groom Lake | July 11, 1979 |
| USAF F-4D (#66-0227), crashed on ingress during Red Flag, no survivors | North end of Groom Range about 6 miles SSW of Rachel | March 7, 1979 2:19pm |
| Canadian Air Force CF-104 Starfighter (#104754), crashed on egress during Red Flag 79-4 after accidentally entering Area 51 Air Space, Captain B.B. Reid was killed | Bald Mountain, just below the peak about 13 miles south of Rachel | February 21, 1979 1820Z |
| USAF F-4, both crewmen ejected safely | Near Ash Springs, NV; approx. 40 miles SE of Rachel | Dec. 1, 1978,9.40am |
| Have Blue 1001, landing gear damage after hard landing attempt, aircraft ran out of fuel trying to extend damaged gear and was destroyed on impact, test pilot Bill Park ejected with injuries | Vicinity of Groom Lake | May 4, 1978 |
| USAF F-15B (#75-00085), crashed during Fighter Weapons Instructor Course; both crewmen were killed | South of Caliente | December 6, 1977 8:17am |
| Canadian CF-104 Starfighter (#104775), crashed during Red Flag Pilot Maj. J. Michel A. Coutu was killed | West face of Mt. Irish or North end of Groom Range (?) | November 16, 1977 |
| USAF F-4E (#68-0518), no survivors | Near the Seeps, 11.5 miles NE of Rachel | Sept. 2, 1977 |
| A-12 Spy Plane (#928), ran out of fuel, pilot Walter Ray ejected but was killed on impact when his ejection set failed to separate | 70 miles east of Groom Lake | Jan. 1967 |
