Plane crashes into grandstands at Reno air race

[DaFace]

Scary shit.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/17/us-crash-airrace-idUSTRE78F6U420110917

Official: More than 75 injured in air race crash
By MARTIN GRIFFITH, Associated Press – 1 hour ago

RENO, Nev. (AP) — 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.

Stephanie Kruse, a spokeswoman for the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority, said 25 people were critically injured and another 25 people were seriously injured in the crash.

More than 25 more people were treated for minor injuries, she said.

Kruse said the critically injured were considered to have life-threatening injuries.

So far, 40 people have been taken to local hospitals by ambulance and one person has been flown to a hospital, she said.

The P-51 Mustang plunged into the crashed into the box seat area at the front of the grandstand at the National Championship Air Races at about 4:30 p.m., said Mike Draper, a spokesman for the event.

Draper identified the pilot as Jimmy Leeward.

Jeff Martinez, a KRNV weatherman, was just outside the air race grounds at the time of the crash. He said he saw the plane veer to the right and then "it just augered straight into the ground."

"You saw pieces and parts going everywhere," he said. "Everyone is in disbelief."

The National Championship Air Races draws thousands of people every year in September to watch various military and civilian planes race.
The races have attracted scrutiny in the past over safety concerns, including four pilots killed in 2007 and 2008. It was such a concern that local school officials once considered whether they should not allow student field trips at the event.

The competition is like a car race in the sky, with planes flying wingtip-to-wingtip as low as 50 feet off the sagebrush at speeds sometimes surpassing 500 mph. Pilots follow an oval path around pylons, with distances and speeds depending on the class of aircraft.

[Buck]

Holy shit!

[Rams Fan]

Oh my..

[Crush]

Damn

[kstater]

http://youtu.be/rCNePeKn3Tg

[Bwana]

Ouch!

[1adam1238]

Another tragedy in this area again. They have cancelled the rest of the events for this weekend.

[LiveSteam]

WOW!
Not a lot of fire,or big boom like you would think.

[Boss Hog]

That's not very nice.

[Buehler445]

WOW!
Not a lot of fire,or big boom like you would think.

Explosions actually happen relatively infrequently.

[DaFace]

Explosions actually happen relatively infrequently.

Yeah, especially with a small plane like that. It's more like a really high-speed car wreck than a movie-style explosion.

[big nasty kcnut]

May god grant relief to those injured and and god please embrace those who have died into your arms and ease the grief of the family left behind.

[chasedude]

A Pilot just died in KC not long ago from the downtown air show.

What is going on lately with pilot error?

[Gadzooks]

2nd time this has happened.
It's a stupid race and should be stopped.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sC3RvZu8_ic" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Excellent !

[MIAdragon]

2nd time this has happened.
It's a stupid race and should be stopped.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/sC3RvZu8_ic" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Crashes seem to happen often in Reno IIRC there was another last year.

[DaFace]

Death toll's at 3 at the moment.

[alpha_omega]

May god grant relief to those injured and and god please embrace those who have died into your arms and ease the grief of the family left behind.

This.
Well said.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

May god grant relief to those injured and and god please embrace those who have died into your arms and ease the grief of the family left behind.


I fucking knew he could use plural. It's all been a hoax!

[NaptownChief]

I was out yesterday delivering flowers for my wife's shop and a small prop plane with two Purdue college students crashed into a golf course about a 1/2 mile from where I was at. Sadly killed both of the young bastards. Something about the small prop planes and crashes seems a bit high for me to ever desire to take that up.

[mikeyis4dcats.]

pilot was 80 fucking years old. seriously....why does an 80 year old man need to be flying in an air race?

[MIAdragon]

a little OT but MAN do those Rolls-Royce Merlin V12s sound good!

[MIAdragon]

pilot was 80 ****ing years old. seriously....why does an 80 year old man need to be flying in an air race?

If you're going to go I cant think of a better way (well without the killing other peeps part).

[Ace Gunner]

pilot was 80 ****ing years old. seriously....why does an 80 year old man need to be flying in an air race?

you've never been to the reno air races.

[Boss Hog]

Ouch!

i can't send pm's so i can't reply to you but i choose this one.

[Easy 6]

pilot was 80 ****ing years old. seriously....why does an 80 year old man need to be flying in an air race?

Exactly what i'm thinking, incredibly irresponsible to let a guy his age participate.

[Rudy tossed tigger's salad]

Dumbass old cunt

[Ace Gunner]

New report reveals the crash likely was caused by mechanical failure plus there is more details correcting initial reports;

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/fatal-crash-reno-air-show-14542052

[LiveSteam]

pilot was 80 fucking years old. seriously....why does an 80 year old man need to be flying in an air race?

Daaaaaaaaaaa! Its a,or was a P-51 Mustang :cuss:

[stevieray]

Exactly what i'm thinking, incredibly irresponsible to let a guy his age participate.


pffffffffffffffffffffffft. you know who broke the land speed record (over 200mph) on a motorcycle, 1000cc or less?

[Ace Gunner]

Why do old people drive broken old planes :)

(my dad flew mustangs in WWII and flew a few races at reno)

[Easy 6]

pffffffffffffffffffffffft. you know who broke the land speed record (over 200mph) on a motorcycle, 1000cc or less?

I forget his name but watched the movie with Hopkins, but he was on an empty salt flat, not directly above hundreds of people.

Doing high performance in an airplane sounds awfully stressful for an 80 year old man, of course if it turns out to be a mechanical issue its a moot point, but still, 80 sounds really old to be pulling G's.

[Hammock Parties]

CALL THE POLICE

http://www.comedycentral.com/images/shows/reno911/v_images/reno_cast_v8.jpg

[jet62]

New report reveals the crash likely was caused by mechanical failure plus there is more details correcting initial reports;

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/fatal-crash-reno-air-show-14542052

AVFLASH NEWS
September 17, 2011
Trim Tab Missing On Reno Crash Plane?

By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

A photo by Tim O'Brien of the Grass Valley Union appears to show that Jimmy Leeward's Galloping Ghost P-51 race plane lost a trim tab before crashing at the National Championship Air Races in Reno on Friday, killing Leeward and two others and injuring scores of others. According to the Aviation Law Monitor "without the trim tab, the aircraft may have been uncontrollable." The photo was taken seconds before aircraft dove into the ramp on the edge of the spectator viewing area at Reno during a qualifying heat. Although the tab does appear to be missing, it can't be determined from the photo whether its departure caused the sequence of events that led to the crash or whether the violent movements that preceded the crash caused the part to fail. Regardless, this photo is likely to be scrutinized carefully as investigators continue the grim task of piecing together what happened.

What is known is that Leeward had rounded the last pylon before the long straightaway in front of the grandstand when his aircraft pitched up, rolled and dove almost vertically into the cement just on the edge of the box seating area. Reports say Leeward called a single Mayday. There have been suggestions that Leeward attempted to maneuver away from the seating area, sparing many lives. As of mid-morning Saturday, the casualty count stood at three dead and almost 60 injured, 15 critically. There was an incident during the 1998 Reno Air Races in which a trim tab came off a P-51 named Voodoo Chile. In that incident, also mentioned in AVweb's coverage, the aircraft pitched violently up, causing pilot Bob Hannah to black out under a G load estimated at 10 Gs. He regained consciousness at 9,000 feet and was able to land safely.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab94/AthruZ62/TimObrien2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

News



WWII-Era Plane Crashes At W.Va. Air Show

September 17, 2011 5:54 PM

Share this


1
1 comment





Filed under
News

Related tags
Air Show, crash, Plane, Thunder Over The Blue Ridge, West Virginia, WW-II-era plane

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) — No spectators were reported injured when a World War II-era plane crashed at a West Virginia air show and burst into flames on Saturday.

The crash comes a day after a stunt pilot in Nevada crashed at an air show there, killing nine. West Virginia air show officials posted a notice on their website encouraging those who witnessed the crash not to hesitate to seek support if they felt that viewing it was a traumatic event.

West Virginia Air National Guard spokesman Lt. Nathan Mueller said the T-28 aircraft crashed while it performed during a routine at the Thunder over the Blue Ridge Open House and Air Show in Martinsburg. Mueller did not have any details on the pilot’s condition.

The pilot’s name has not been released. A news conference has been scheduled for 6 p.m.

The fixed-wing, single-engine plane is registered to John Mangan of Concord, N.C., and was built in 1958, according to a Federal Aviation Administration registry.

The Journal of Martinsburg reports the aircraft lost control during a six-plane stunt formation and then
crashed on a runway near hangers at the airfield. The plane was part of the T-28 Warbird Aerobatic Formation Demonstration Team, which performs at air shows around the country.

The team is known as the Trojan Horsemen and its website says Jack “Flash” Mangan is part of the alternate wing. His biography on the site says he is a former Air Force fighter pilot who won three Meritorious Service Medals and Tactical Air Command’s Instructor Pilot of the Year. A message left at Mangan’s North
Carolina home was not immediately returned on Saturday.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters said the crash happened about 2:40 p.m.

[MIAdragon]

Someone didn't do their homework. The T-28 first flew YEARS after WWII. You can simply look at the 28 and tell its post WWII.

[MIAdragon]

A little history on the airframe for us warbird nerds.

http://www2.leewardairranch.com/racing/history/cleveland

[JD10367]

What I know about aviation could fill a thimble, but would a trim tab really have that drastic of an effect? I can't see the video in work but unless the guy was doing a low-level pass over the crowd I find it hard to believe a trim tab would cause a problem. It is, after all, trim; it's for making minute adjustments in altitude. You use the elevator to set your altitude and then you use the trim to keep the plane perfectly level (otherwise it might drift up or down). You should pretty much be able to control a plane without trim, no?

[listopencil]

Wow, imagine if that had happened in mid air.

[Fish]

What I know about aviation could fill a thimble, but would a trim tab really have that drastic of an effect? I can't see the video in work but unless the guy was doing a low-level pass over the crowd I find it hard to believe a trim tab would cause a problem. It is, after all, trim; it's for making minute adjustments in altitude. You use the elevator to set your altitude and then you use the trim to keep the plane perfectly level (otherwise it might drift up or down). You should pretty much be able to control a plane without trim, no?

When banking at close to 500mph.... Yes it could affect the plane.

[DaFace]

Wow, imagine if that had happened in mid air.

Heh.

[Discuss Thrower]

What I know about aviation could fill a thimble, but would a trim tab really have that drastic of an effect? I can't see the video in work but unless the guy was doing a low-level pass over the crowd I find it hard to believe a trim tab would cause a problem. It is, after all, trim; it's for making minute adjustments in altitude. You use the elevator to set your altitude and then you use the trim to keep the plane perfectly level (otherwise it might drift up or down). You should pretty much be able to control a plane without trim, no?

Trim tabs add quite a bit more stability than you're giving credit for. My first instructor underscored the fact your day is going to be pretty rough if you lose it in flight, and that's with a bird that will max out at 160HP.

[Chazno]

My friend,his brother,mother, father and brother's wife were all at ground zero of this crash. Information is hard to come by,but it sounds like the mother is unaccounted for while the other 4 have each had a leg amputated. They are all big Chief/jayhawk fans from kc and could definitely use your prayers.

[MIAdragon]

holy crap.

http://i.imgur.com/YhH38.gif

[lostcause]

holy crap.

http://i.imgur.com/YhH38.gif

watched that about 8 times and only came away with that at least a 100 people have a dead man to thank for being alive.

[DaFace]

holy crap.

http://i.imgur.com/YhH38.gif

Damn...that's insanely close.

[Donger]

holy crap.

http://i.imgur.com/YhH38.gif

It's hard to tell from that, but it looks like something's missing from the tail.

[Donger]

AVFLASH NEWS
September 17, 2011
Trim Tab Missing On Reno Crash Plane?

By Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief

A photo by Tim O'Brien of the Grass Valley Union appears to show that Jimmy Leeward's Galloping Ghost P-51 race plane lost a trim tab before crashing at the National Championship Air Races in Reno on Friday, killing Leeward and two others and injuring scores of others. According to the Aviation Law Monitor "without the trim tab, the aircraft may have been uncontrollable." The photo was taken seconds before aircraft dove into the ramp on the edge of the spectator viewing area at Reno during a qualifying heat. Although the tab does appear to be missing, it can't be determined from the photo whether its departure caused the sequence of events that led to the crash or whether the violent movements that preceded the crash caused the part to fail. Regardless, this photo is likely to be scrutinized carefully as investigators continue the grim task of piecing together what happened.

What is known is that Leeward had rounded the last pylon before the long straightaway in front of the grandstand when his aircraft pitched up, rolled and dove almost vertically into the cement just on the edge of the box seating area. Reports say Leeward called a single Mayday. There have been suggestions that Leeward attempted to maneuver away from the seating area, sparing many lives. As of mid-morning Saturday, the casualty count stood at three dead and almost 60 injured, 15 critically. There was an incident during the 1998 Reno Air Races in which a trim tab came off a P-51 named Voodoo Chile. In that incident, also mentioned in AVweb's coverage, the aircraft pitched violently up, causing pilot Bob Hannah to black out under a G load estimated at 10 Gs. He regained consciousness at 9,000 feet and was able to land safely.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i853.photobucket.com/albums/ab94/AthruZ62/TimObrien2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Ick. Yeah, that wouldn't be fun.

[Phobia]

So you're at an air-show and a plane crashes, injuring you badly. They want to life-flight you to the hospital.

I'd pass. Take me on the bus. I've had enough of downed aircraft today.