LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Living near Nellis Air Force Base can be a rattling experience for people who live in the area. But when a plane crashes into a neighborhood that rattles more than their homes, it can shake up their nerves.
“Sometimes the entire building will rattle while you’re inside.”
Brian Kobrys is used to having planes take off from Nellis Air Force Base. His family owns property right next door and says he doesn’t mind the potential noise.
“You can still have a rural lifestyle in the city of Vegas. That’s the attraction to this part of town. The people interested in this place have either been here forever, or they want the open land,” he said.
Open land that comes at a better price than most places. Realtor Jeff Hatfield says the homes near the base are typically a bit lower than the median home price, of about $346,000, in the valley.
“Lots are larger. Homes are a little bit older, but it’s a very diverse area as well,” he said.
Hatfield says when he sells property in the area, potential buyers are given a heads up about the base.
“We do have a disclosure called the airport noise disclosure that we present to every buyer,” he said.
Some neighbors are being more vigilant when it comes to risks like Jose Villanueva. It was his property where the plane crashed, causing a small fire. He wasn’t home at the time.
Villanueva spoke to 13 Action News over the phone about his fears.
“It’s kind of dangerous if one of them falls off. It’s going to be in the neighborhood and hurt someone.”
That wasn’t the first time a plane from Nellis AFB had trouble here in the valley. Back in 2019 plane debris fell from the sky near Nellis Boulevard and Craig Road. Officials said a door or a panel fell off an aircraft hitting the roof of an apartment building. No one was hurt in that incident.
In 2016, a fighter jet pilot survived a crash near Nellis. He only had minor injuries after ejecting.
Kobrys says he’s not worried about the planes from the base expressing confidence in how the military maintains its planes.
“If you were to add how many landings and take-offs they have in a day, what are the odds. I have a better chance of probably getting clobbered by a drunk driver on the freeway than living in this community,” he said.
