And here the reason why.
I think he crossed the wake turbulence of a leading aircraft in a turn and the horizontal stabilizer was damaged from the wingtip vortices of the wake.
Posted on 09/16/2011 7:05:20 PM PDT by nuconvert
DEVELOPING: RENO, Nev. -- An airplane crashed Friday into a crowd attending an air race here, injuring dozens in what one event official described as a "mass-casualty situation."
A medical official later said more than 75 people had been injured, including 25 critically. There was no official word on deaths, though one report put the toll as high as 12 and the crash near the grandstands left a horrific scene of bodies and wreckage.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
11:00 News showed a VERY clear still photo of a trim-tab coming off the plane just before the pilot lost full control.
The trim-tab is not that large a part, it is part of the horizontal stabilizer.
Apparently, losing it made this plane uncontrollable.
So, it seems fairly clear that this was a mechanical failure at speed.
No doubt the NTSB will have more to say, in several months.
I was thinking of going, but decided not to...interesting how life takes you places and holds you back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndd9PVDM3jU Title: Plane Crash at Reno Air Race 2011 (Angle 2)
I agree with Hannity on this one. You would have to be a fool to go to this show knowing how dangerous it is and that you could be killed in a second. Everyone involved in this show has no business putting on an event like this when they can’t guarantee safety for its viewers. They deserve to get sued for millions because of their irresponsible actions.
This reminds me of that fire in that Connecticut bar where fireworks were lit in that deathtrap where 100 people died. Some of them faced criminal charges, IIRC.
And all of this tragedy for a RACE? I don’t get it....
Baloney dupree.....it’s a race and races have accidents and those who attend have the freedom to choose the risks they take in life....including crossing a street. There are no guarantess of life nor that there is safety in all situations. This was an event for entertainment and all those who chose to go there will likely do so again.
The other problem with FR search is that it doesn’t do whole message searches. (body&title)
If you’re searching for something and what you are searching for wasn’t part of the title .. you’re outta luck.
You’re Very restricted with title searches only .. Basically, you’re at the mercy of the person who posted a linked article, hoping that the title and article compliment each other. 8)
I’m very glad you weren’t injured. I can’t imagine how incredibly scary that must have been. Thank you for sharing your first-hand account - it confirms what some have reported that the pilot did everything possible to minimize injuries to the spectators.
The plane basically vaporized on impact. Horrific.
I think he crossed the wake turbulence of a leading aircraft in a turn Back around 1990-91 I was living near Carson City and the Reno Air Races was a big event for me. I would get the pit pass and stroll among the different classes of aircraft all day long.
I think it was the ‘91 when they introduced The Pond racer, it was styled along the design of the twin boom P-38 but with modernized engines, actually I think they may have been souped up Datsun (Nissan) motors. I have a few pictures of the aircraft and the pilot from up close, during the race he had an electrical fire, he immediately climbed and they left the race area then went down about a half mile behind the viewing area and was killed.
I had a radio and even heard his last comments.
The next year I moved to Alaska and started to learn to fly myself. I did not ever consider the thought that racing of this type should be banned. This is living a life, if by the grace of god an accident happens it happens.
But then this aircraft from what I gather wasn’t a real P-51 but a pattern made frame, its a modern day copy altered for speed. And that saved many a life as the video shows the aircraft disintegrating and their was no fireball.
Thank you for posting the link to the other thread.
Thank you for the link, caww. I appreciate it.
About six years ago, a classmate of mine, Richard James of Fennimore, Wisconsin, took his rebuilt P-51 Mustang out with a formation of three others at the Oshkosh Air Show, and only three came back. Somewhere out there, while making the turn back to make a pass over the air show, Dick’s P-51 had taken a similar dive toward the earth.
We shall never know just what went wrong. Mechanical failure, momentary lapse of judgment, an actual physical impairment that came about suddenly, or a much darker thought that crossed his mind, Dick’s remains could fit in a shoebox. He had spent several years, and hundreds of thousands, preparing that plane for flight, as it had to be almost a complete rebuild. Every mechanical system, from the airfoil controls to the engine itself, were restored to original specifications.
The P-51 Mustang is something of a bitch-kitty to fly, as the Allison powerplant had sufficient torque to cause a ground-loop on take-off, dipping one wing so close to the ground it would catch and flip the plane if too much power were applied while still moving down the runway. Once airborne, any maneuvers had to be gently suggested to the controls, as the response was swift and could contribute highly to the distress of the pilot. Before the concept was realized by the aeronautical engineers, the G-forces the plane was capable of could cause a pilot black-out, or definitely a moment of wooziness, and that in itself could be critical. But as Dick said, treat the plane as you would a fiery woman, and the emotional reward was well worth it.
RIP, Jimmy Leeward. In the last moment, you had to have made the call that steered the plane away from the bulk of the crowd, and prevented even greater carnage.
National Air Races of 1949, then held in Cleveland, OH were ended when a warbird crashed into a house. Several people were killed, including the pilot.
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