Reno air races - mass casualties

[cmh_sprint]

I know there are many aviation buffs on here and this is one event that is on my list of must see's. Crashes at Reno are not out of the norm, today was a different story. The pilot appeared to pull up due to mechanical issues (normal event when issues are encountered), however it is believed he blacked out and the plane rolled over and nosed into the grandstands, injuring at least 75, with somewhere between 10 - 15 deaths being reported. RIP and prayers to all involved. Posted video shows events leading up to the incident.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTzX35wOGas&feature=player_embedded#!

[ReconRat]

holy crap

edit: here's a video from msnbc. You can see the engine bounce and shoot out toward the runway.

Very lucky it didn't go the other way into the grandstands and people.

Video: Plane crashes near grandstands at Reno air races.

Edited September 17, 2011 by ReconRat

[tyler524]

Very tragic

[2talltim]

RIP to all ...

[hue jass]

I just saw the video. It went straight down into the crowd at high speed. Sad day

[ReconRat]

http://i.i.com.com/cnwk.1d/i/tim/2011/09/17/Reno_Crash_AP110916136333_620x350.jpg

Frame grab from one of the videos:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/17/nevada.plane.crash/

Edited September 17, 2011 by ReconRat

[gen3flygirl]

Rip. Very tragic on so many levels.

[ReconRat]

Why it crashed:

Here's a pic right before the crash. The left elevator is damaged. It has a piece or two missing. Trim tabs torn off, I think. When it made it's last pylon turn, it would have rolled out and to the right. When it pulled up and away from race traffic, it would have rolled right again. It might have come close to stalling, and when heading down again, it wanted to roll to the right again, when it tried to pull out. In some of the videos, you can see exactly that, a series of rolls to the right. The only way to have saved it, was to neutral the elevator, when the nose was pointed above the horizon. Not use the elevator, and fly it crippled back to a landing. There wasn't enough time to think it through.

[Casper]

Very sad.

[flounder]

Why it crashed:

Here's a pic right before the crash. The left elevator is damaged. It has a piece or two missing. Trim tabs torn off, I think. When it made it's last pylon turn, it would have rolled out and to the right. When it pulled up and away from race traffic, it would have rolled right again. It might have come close to stalling, and when heading down again, it wanted to roll to the right again, when it tried to pull out. In some of the videos, you can see exactly that, a series of rolls to the right. The only way to have saved it, was to neutral the elevator, when the nose was pointed above the horizon. Not use the elevator, and fly it crippled back to a landing. There wasn't enough time to think it through.

Unless the trim tabs breaking completely locked the elevator up, I cant see why that would have caused the crash since you would still be able to use the elevator.

Very sad.

[RymerC]

Seems like there's been a few P51 crashes lately. I'm glad I got to see them here at the gathering when I did! Very sad to lose so much like this. I'm a little surprised a 74 year old can fly a plane like this, the pilot must have been more fit than the 74 year-olds I've seen.