Official: Reno air race crash 'mass casualty situation'

[Stitch]

A plane plunged into the stands Friday at an air race event in Reno in what an official described as a "mass casualty situation." It wasn't immediately known how many people were killed, but a medical official said more than 75 people were injured.

A P-51 crashed into the box seats at the annual Reno air races.

[Jimmy]

Airplane crash at Reno air races 2011 Friday sept 16 - YouTube

This video shows the crash itself from elsewhere in the stands. There are other videos showing the aftermath, which is pretty gruesome. The pilot, Jimmy Leeward, had been racing that airplane since 1946.

[Stitch]

The good news (if there IS any good news) is that Mr. Leeward apparently pulled up (down?) at the last second, and avoided crashing into the grandstands; there would've been a lot more casualties if that had happened.

[Jimmy]

From the pictures of the missing pieces from his elevator, I think the change in pitch was probably due to him throttling up and the plane leveling itself...from what I'm reading about the handling characteristics of these planes it's unlikely he (or anyone) had the physical strength to actuate the elevator enough to actually nose it up. Which means that while pointing at the the ground he punched it to avoid the grandstands and guaranteeing him a one-way ticket in.

[tankie]

Sad RIP .

[Stitch]

From the pictures of the missing pieces from his elevator, I think the change in pitch was probably due to him throttling up and the plane leveling itself...from what I'm reading about the handling characteristics of these planes it's unlikely he (or anyone) had the physical strength to actuate the elevator enough to actually nose it up. Which means that while pointing at the the ground he punched it to avoid the grandstands and guaranteeing him a one-way ticket in.

Rumor has it the horizontal stabilizers were "modified" earlier this year to improve performance; my guess is the FAA and the NTSB will be looking VERY closely at these "modifications".

[Dreadnought]

A shame. All the dead and injured RIP.

[Chogy]

This is awful - but what is a SEVENTY-FOUR year old man doing flying one of these? I'm sorry, and I fully admit that I'm speculating that his age had anything to do with it, but this is just a bad combination - 74 year old with an extremely tricky and highly modified P-51 Mustang. Guys this old don't drive in formula 1, and they shouldn't be in the Reno air races.

[Deltacamelately]

Rest in Peace.

[Chogy]

I realize now my reply seems harsh, and I feel terribly for those who died or were injured. May they RIP.

But I still am a bit in shock that the pilot was as old as he was.

[tankie]

I personally do not think you were being harsh Chogy , I would say you were being realistic , his age could have played a vital role in this tragic accident .

[dave lukins]

Rumor has it the horizontal stabilizers were "modified" earlier this year to improve performance; my guess is the FAA and the NTSB will be looking VERY closely at these "modifications".

Are modifications not approved and inspected to prove air worthiness before the next flight?

[tankie]

Are modifications not approved and inspected to prove air worthiness before the next flight?

You would think so nuts .

[dave lukins]

This is awful - but what is a SEVENTY-FOUR year old man doing flying one of these? I'm sorry, and I fully admit that I'm speculating that his age had anything to do with it, but this is just a bad combination - 74 year old with an extremely tricky and highly modified P-51 Mustang. Guys this old don't drive in formula 1, and they shouldn't be in the Reno air races.

I assume he needs a stringent medical to allow him to continue flying. I think no matter how fit he was, part of the aircraft falling off at that speed and at that hight would have made no difference to the outcome.

[bigross86]

I remember reading that every pilot and craft is inspected by the FAA before participating in the races