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Photos Suggest Pilot in Deadly Reno Air Crash Had Broken Seat, Aviation Expert Says
FoxNews.com ^ | 9/20/11 | FoxNews.com

Posted on 09/20/2011 12:05:47 PM PDT by ColdOne

Newly released photographs of the deadly Nevada air racing disaster suggest the pilot in the crash may have become dislodged in the cockpit as a result of a broken seat, an aviation mechanic tells Fox News.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: renoaircrash; renoairracecrash; renoairraces
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To: petitfour

>>Do you know how many times that plane changed hands from the time it was made? It was deemed surplus in 1946. It was sold. And sold again. And again. And modified. And and and. If you would like to see artifacts, there are tons of them in Tucson, AZ at the Air and Space Museum.<<

I stand by what I said. I know it belonged to him. I just think it was a complete waste.

I never said he didn’t have the right to do it.


61 posted on 09/20/2011 2:03:04 PM PDT by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears ("But resist, we much...we must...and we will much...about...that...be committed." - Al Sharpton)
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To: cynwoody

On Saturday during the weekend “Fox & Friends” Clayton had a phone conversation on the air with his father-in-law who was in the stands when this happened—the plane was coming straight at their part of the stands but the pilot almost managed to reach the tarmac before crashing. His maneuvering during the last several seconds probably meant that the death toll was much less than it would have been otherwise.


62 posted on 09/20/2011 2:11:27 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: FortWorthPatriot

You can find a lot of outstanding, unbelievable pics out there that will fool you. These do look like promotional photos pulled out of the PR catalog.

But, to have such clear images taken during the extremely brief time immediately before this horrendous accident took place giving us so much more information about the situation......thats what smacks me.


63 posted on 09/20/2011 2:11:32 PM PDT by JoenTX (Don't Tread on Me)
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To: presently no screen name

>>WOW! That’s harsh! Are you from the control brigade? <<

And yeah, I guess you’re right. That WAS harsh. :-/

Backing off now.


64 posted on 09/20/2011 2:11:45 PM PDT by Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears ("But resist, we much...we must...and we will much...about...that...be committed." - Al Sharpton)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears

It’s doesn’t bother me because I didn’t say it.


65 posted on 09/20/2011 2:17:16 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: SkyDancer

Chris Karamesines from Chicago is still driving Top Fuel dragsters. He is still competing. I think he is now almost 79. He still qualifies against the young ‘uns, also. To the best of my recollection, he has never had an accident of any consequence.


66 posted on 09/20/2011 2:24:00 PM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: He'sComingBack!
Any idea as to what is the vapor/fuel/water injection... coming from underneath the fuselage (see inverted photo of the P-51, just below the 177 number)?

It's steam.

The stock radiator & cooling system was replaced with a total-loss evaporative cooling system.

It saves weight and reduces aerodynamic drag.

67 posted on 09/20/2011 2:39:03 PM PDT by Ol' Dan Tucker (People should not be afraid of the government. Governement should be afraid of the people)
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To: He'sComingBack!
The P-51 was designed with a liquid cooling system, which had a radiator mounted below.This one was modified and that system was removed and in it's place a boil off system installed . The theory was that the race was short enough that the engine wouldn't over heat. and the got rid of a radiator that was a whole lot of drag
68 posted on 09/20/2011 2:42:41 PM PDT by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears

“historical treasures for “stunts. That’s not what they were made for.”

Um, yes, they were.


69 posted on 09/20/2011 2:51:36 PM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
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To: Fawn

“He shouldn’t of driving that plane at 74 yrs old...his reactions are slow...”

You measured them? Didn’t think so.

My flight buddy is 74. He has the eye sight anyone would admire and the reactions faster than a cat on catnip. I’d take him over some punkassed sluggish junk-food eating vidiot knowitall any day.


70 posted on 09/20/2011 2:56:29 PM PDT by CodeToad (Islam needs to be banned in the US and treated as a criminal enterprise.)
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To: FortWorthPatriot

It has been identified as the moment before the crash. It has also been the reason why so many people have questioned why the rear wheel is deployed.


71 posted on 09/20/2011 3:27:37 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln (But that's just me.)
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To: cynwoody
Yep -- you got it, according to my resident aviation expert. The trim tab busted and shoved the plane up, the G forces made the pilot weigh about the equivalent of a ton, and the seat busted. My guy even mentioend pretty much word-for-word your story of the Voodoo and what happened to that pilot. Galloping Ghost stalled, where as Voodoo kept climbing.

Sad day for aviation. I hope the air races continue, though.

72 posted on 09/20/2011 3:42:55 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent)
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To: NoLibZone

wow...that photo is pretty telling. Hydraulics failure too (with that wheel exposed)? Was this pic just before the crash?


73 posted on 09/20/2011 3:52:10 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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To: HerrBlucher
...as a spectator I was willing to take that risk as should everyone else that attends.

Amen, Blucher. Maybe if they can't get insurance now, they can have spectators sign waivers. I'd sign one. We had a couple of friends at that race (my sweetz would have been there with them except for scheduling conflicts). Both are pilots and current and former professionals in the aviation industry. One of them wrote that they saw the propeller heading straight for them in the stands, and accepted the fact that they were going to die. Then something happened (so many variables at work) and the plane ended up crashing into those unfortunate folks below them. They knew they'd had a very close call ... but then, it wasn't the first close call (by a long shot!!!) for either of them.

74 posted on 09/20/2011 3:54:04 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent)
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To: Finny
Maybe if they can't get insurance now, they can have spectators sign waivers. I'd sign one.

Me too Finny...like they say the most dangerous thing about flying is the drive to the airport...

75 posted on 09/20/2011 3:58:02 PM PDT by Niteflyr ("The number one goal in life is to parent yourself" Carl Jung)
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To: Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears; Niteflyr; DuncanWaring
Leaving those planes on the ground to sit and rot is, to me, a worse crime. They were built to be flown. One of the best air museums in the U.S., Chino Air Museum, IS special because all of the aircraft there FLY.

You can look at a Corsair on the ground and say, "Wow, what a neat plane." But when you see it and hear it in the air -- well, if your heart doesn't just about burst with pride and admiration, there's something wrong with you.

You can see a homely, squat little Mig sitting on the tarmac and think, "man, that plane is uglier than a mud fence." Then when you see it in the air, it looks like a beautiful little swallow, just plumb gorgeous.

But most of all, it's the SOUND of the planes. Just hearing them is a thrill.

And with respect, for you to say that the plane was a mere "plaything" for Jim Leeward is ... well, I'd like to smack you upside the head for that. That's an insult to the guy's memory and to the whole tradition of air shows, which for many folks, is the first time they see the true excitement and thrill of aviation -- that's what the "playthings" of guys like Leeward accomplish, and that is a good thing. This was an accident, and a tragic one. You speak ill of the dead when you insult Leeward that way.

76 posted on 09/20/2011 4:06:41 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent)
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To: Niteflyr
...like they say the most dangerous thing about flying is the drive to the airport...

Never heard that! That's great! {^)

77 posted on 09/20/2011 4:07:45 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent)
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To: WKUHilltopper
The wheel is out because the retaining pin is known to fail at 7-8g’s. That is straight form a P-51 racing pilot. The pilot in the Ghost experienced an immediate 9-10g roll. He was unconscious.
78 posted on 09/20/2011 4:12:23 PM PDT by mad_as_he$$
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To: Fawn
He shouldn’t of driving that plane at 74 yrs old...his reactions are slow...

That old coot probably had faster reactions and a cooler head than most guys half his age. I'm pretty sure pilots have to go through regular tests and physicals in order to retain their pilots licenses. It appears that what happened was the trim tab came off, the plane yanked upward, Leeward was suddenly subject to G forces of about 9 or 10 (making him weigh the equivalent of about a ton), it broke the seat, and he was unconscious in any case becasue of the G forces. Then the plane stalled ... and crashed. That's the prevailing theory among the pretty well informed and professional (and amateur) aviation folks I know.

Wouldn't have mattered how old Leeward was. :^(

79 posted on 09/20/2011 4:16:24 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent)
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To: mad_as_he$$

Thanks.


80 posted on 09/20/2011 4:17:30 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (And yet...we continue to tolerate this crap...)
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