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Plane crashes into stands at Reno Air Race

This has been one of the worst airshow years in a long time..... Now with this..... I mean we all know that a wreck, even fatal ones, are no stranger to Reno, but if we are going to add into the equation fatalities of spectators, I think it could bad for the arishow community as a whole.....

I guess it's a 'wait and see' thing...
 
One report I just read says the plane "Galloping Ghost" crashed near, but not into, the stands...hit some tables.
 
seen video on kcra3,,,,hit and disinigrated,,,he local reno footage of the scene shows several people being triaged
 
Update: Pilot in Reno Air Races crash identified as Jimmy Leeward; rest of air races cancelled

http://www.rgj.com/article/20110916/EVENTS05/110916036/Plane-crashes-Reno-National-Championship-Air-Races

“It’s just like a massacre. It’s like a bomb went off,” said Dr. Gerald Lent of Reno, who witnessed the crash. “There are people lying all over the runway.”

The only thing the Korean War veteran could compare the scene to was combat.

“One guy was cut in half. There’s blood everywhere,” Lent said. “There’s arms and legs. One guy just said ‘hey, there’s another foot over here.”
​
Click to expand...
 
My question is what is an eighty year old doing behind the stick at a air race. It is scary enough watching them drive in everyday auto traffic let alone a racing aircraft.
 
Unfortunately there is not much knowledge about Jimmy Leeward here, by the comments posted. If you were to have known him, his age was only a number - if he wasn't more than fit to fly the aircraft, just as anyone else could, he would not have been, both under his own decision, and the decisions of the many that very strictly govern the races, and those who participate within them. Though obviously the media is going to latch onto that in a heart-beat, because without any confirmed answers, they can start implying their own.

All reports that I have heard, and could be understood by any person of true aviation knowledge, from those that saw the aircraft in its last minutes, point directly to mechanical failure, of some sort.

In anycase, this, as Witt has mentioned, is by far the biggest punch in the gut, after already having gone through one of the worst airshow/flying seasons in memory. As one person put it on one of the warbird forums, it will be a miracle if the Reno air races are ever held again - and at a time like this, I can't say that would be a bad thing, in my own personal opinion, but that has nothing to do with the quality of the people involved.

My thoughts and feelings go out to so many.
 
This is such an unfortunate event. Tragic. My prayers are certainly with the victims and their families.

A pilot who straps themselves into these planes, like a race car driver, accepts the responsibility and danger, just as an astronaut does when they strap themselves to a rocket. He definitely went out with his boots on. A death of any kind is generally a tragedy, but if I had to go, why not go out doing what you love? It's a shame so many others were involved.
 
CodyValkyrie said:
A pilot who straps themselves into these planes, like a race car driver, accepts the responsibility and danger, just as an astronaut does when they strap themselves to a rocket. He definitely went out with his boots on. A death of any kind is generally a tragedy, but if I had to go, why not go out doing what you love? It's a shame so many others were involved.
Click to expand...

Well said, he obviously felt no pain... unfortunately unlike all those people in the box stands.... uuuugh....
 
AIR CRASH

I just read on another news forum site a description by someone who was at the scene (appox 75 feet) and near the site. He describes it as appearing to be a structural control failure, with the plane going several different ways before plunging in.
 
One of the videos I watched from a different angle showed the flight path of the plane just moments before the crash. It's going along it's flight path and then it seems to perform a large slow rolling loop. It looked surreal. The other video I saw of the event showed the plane nearly vertical to the ground before hitting. It looked as if the plane was being controlled to pull out of it.

They'll find out in time exactly what happened. This was very well covered.
 
Jimmy Leeward was one of the true, stalwart legends of aviation and the warbird community. My sincere, heartfelt sadness and condolences to his family and friends and to the spectators killed and injured and to their families and friends touched by this tragic event. Heartbreaking news.

N.
 
This incident is tragic in many ways. For me what is so sad is that in the course of a few seconds people that were having a great time watching the race are gone, along with the pilot that was engaged in something that he loved to do.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.
 
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