Sorry, I don't buy that statement. My first hand knowledge is contrary to your assumption. I've been around sports car racing all my life, and I've crossed paths with some air racing pilots as well. I've met quite a few racers who were over 75 years old. As a rule, they are incredibly fit and very alert. They get extensive physicals every year, (sometimes 2 or 3 times a year) and are watched closely by medical types from the various sanctioning bodies.
DB wrote:
The pilot being 80 years old adds a number of other “likely” issues...
Generally, events like this are insured, and if there's any possibility of a driver/pilot having medical issues during a race, that racer won't be racing. Organizers of these events are pretty careful about who is participating.
Insurance companies also like to make sure that spectators have some level of protection, at least for auto racing. Seeing the video, I'm amazed there wasn't more protection for the spectators, though I have no idea how you would implement anything to protect spectators from airplanes flying at 450+ knots.
You don’t buy that the pilot being 80 years doesn’t add a number of other likely causes besides mechanical failure for this accident?
Wow...