Harry Reid Intl — Safety History & Runway Risks
NTSB accident analysis for KLAS: 25 events analyzed
Las Vegas, NV · 2183.1 ft MSL · 4 runways
Based on 25 NTSB events at KLAS (Harry Reid Intl), the most important risks for pilots are:
- Jet blast and wake turbulence from heavy/commercial traffic. A Cessna 182 sustained substantial damage on 04/21/22 when the pilot failed to maintain sufficient clearance from departing jet blast, with winds at 32 kts gusting 42. GA aircraft are vastly outweighed by the typical traffic mix at KLAS; jet blast and wake from widebodies and narrowbodies can be immediately dangerous, especially during gusty crosswind conditions.
- Landing gear failures and collapses. At least five events involve landing gear failures: the Beech E-55 (07/03/10, gear collapse on rollout), Boeing 737-8K2 (02/04/22, RMLG collapse), Short Bros SD-360 (06/25/21, gear-up landing), Beech C90/Falcon 2000 ground collision (08/28/15, parking brake/rollaway), and a general gear collapse pattern on rollout. Pre-landing gear checks and thorough preflight inspection of gear systems are critical.
- Density altitude and high-elevation performance degradation. KLAS sits at 2183 ft MSL in the Mojave Desert, and summer temperatures routinely exceed 110°F, producing density altitudes well above 5,000 ft. No event explicitly lists density altitude as a cause, but the July–August cluster of incidents (multiple gear, engine, and control events) coincides with peak heat. GA pilots must compute density altitude carefully and plan for degraded climb and accelerate-stop performance.
Source: NTSB accident records analyzed by Tropiq. Updated 4/14/2026.
Safety History
25 eventsHarry Reid International (KLAS) has recorded 25 NTSB events from 2008–2026, with no fatalities on the airport surface and only one fatal event involving a sightseeing helicopter that crashed 14 miles away. The incident profile is dominated by landing gear failures, hard/improper landings, and jet blast/wake effects—hazards that are especially relevant to GA pilots operating among heavy commercial and business jet traffic. Activity has been moderate recently (7 events since 2021), and all events occurred in VMC, underscoring that clear weather does not eliminate risk at this complex, high-density airport.
Over 18 years, KLAS has averaged just under 1.4 events per year, with the majority being landing incidents involving commercial aircraft and no ground fatalities. The one fatal event (5 killed, 12/08/11) involved a helicopter operating a sightseeing tour that crashed in terrain 14 miles from the airport, not on the airport surface itself.
- •Landing gear failures and collapses appear in at least 5 of 25 events—the single most common hardware failure mode
- •Improper pitch/flare technique (bounce, tail strike, over-rotation) accounts for at least 4 events across multiple aircraft types
- •All 25 events occurred in VMC; no events are associated with IMC or low visibility at KLAS itself
- •Summer months (June–August) show a clustering of events, likely driven by high traffic volume, heat, and afternoon gusty winds
- •Helicopter events (3 total) cluster around ramp/hover operations and a fatal off-airport crash, highlighting unique risks for rotorcraft operators
- •Engine failures and fires appear in 3 events but are maintenance-origin issues rather than environment-driven
- •The 2013 airborne conflict event highlights a documented, recurring procedural hazard with simultaneous runway use on 19R and 25L
Runway Analysis
Key Risks
Common Causes
Seasonal Patterns
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database. Analysis generated 2026-04-14. This data is provided for flight planning awareness and does not replace official safety briefings.
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