Posted on 09/16/2011 5:15:07 PM PDT by PilotDave
A P-51 crashed into a vip area at the reno air races about 25. Initial reports indicate many deaths.
Hum, I can’t imagine why, I just saw footage of this on television news.
Thanks Marty.
Several years ago our American Legion Post participated in the committal service for a WW-II P-48 Fighter Pilot whose remains had been recovered in Germany and later identified.
At the service were several WW-II Veterans, including one who used to be a P-48 Jockey until he transferred to P-51s.
I remember him telling me later at the reception that the P-51 was the first fighter that could pull enough Gs in a turn to black the pilot out, and it was a significant problem until they developed pressure suits to counteract the effect of the G-forces. It was also so fast that it was extremely difficult to bail out of. Not long after the war, they got to work on the ejection seat.
AFAIK they probably started research on it while the P-51 was still in service.
Apparently they lost a fair number of pilots to these emerging phenomenon.
The Mustang was popular and sexy, but it was apparently not considered to be a particularly safe airplane to fly.
I wonder if the pilot pulled enough Gs coming around that turn to black him out? At those speeds and altitude, even a momentary lapse of consciousness would be (and may have been) fatal.
From the video clip it appeared as if he came in at about an 80 degree angle at around 300mph (rough guesstimate).
If it was a blackout, he never woke up in this World.
Flashback post by Dashing Dasher from 2006. A plane crash.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1609133/posts
She’s ok.
There have been a lot of head scratching removals from the breaking sidebar. This is one of the most egregious I’ve ever seen. If this isn’t breaking news, nothing is.
12 dead.
FOXNEWS LA
I know this man. RIP to all involved. Prayers for all the witnesses.
hannity saying 12 dead
Looked like it maybe was a black out from excessive g-force on the turn, the P51 went stright in at an angle of about 70 degrees, no trailing smoke, no parts of the aircraft falling away before impact,appeared too be at full throttle.Unless the control systems went bonkers, I would guess the pilot blacked out.
Horrible accident, the V-12 engine block went cartwheeling away.You can see it in the video.
FAA inspectors were at the race observing the air show.
-KTLA News
Perhaps I should have been clear. The man is the pilot. I’m in shock. Very experienced pilot.
I agree. Yet, "Tom Ridge to Endorse Jon Huntsman" which never had any business of being in breaking, is still there. Bizarre.
Likely pulled because no link was included and its listed as a vanity. I’ve posted in Breaking before like that but immediately notify the mods via “report abuse” that I will be putting up a link as soon as I find one.
He must have blacked out.
Sorry to hear of the death of your friend and those on the ground. Prayers up people!
FRegards,
PrairieDawg
As to the trauma of the witnesses - I know this sounds sort of cold, but if you go to a bull fight don’t be surprised if you see someone get gored and some blood shed here and there.
When you get automobiles, motorcycles, or airplanes moving at high speed in close proximity to one another loaded with highly volatile fuel while surrounded by crowds of spectators, the potential for sudden, violent and catastrophic accidents will always be significant.
It has long been known that the public has sort of a morbid fascination with these high-risk activities.
As much as I hate to speculate, there were probably at least a few individuals there who finally got to see what they secretly wanted to witness all along.
If you chat frankly with most Race Drivers, Pilots, and Bull Fighters I think you’ll find that they know it, too.
Seems like somebody would ping you, wacko!
Maybe if we ask the mod this thread could be moved to Breaking News. It may have to do with no link in the original post. Just a guess.
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