NTSB: Air frame separated from plane at Reno Air Races
By Steve Timko, Reno Gazette-Journal
The National Transportation Safety Board confirms some of the air frame to Jimmy Leeward’s P-51 separated at the Reno National Championship Air Races as his airplane crashed.
The NTSB reports 10 fatalities on the ground and the death of the pilot and said 74 people were injured during the crash last Friday at the Reno-Stead Airport. It reports 66 of the injuries were serious.
The NTSB this morning released its preliminary report on the crash.
is it me or is the pilot missing in photograph #7 as opposed to #38 of his taxiing to take off? Sure someone else caught that.
Yes the pilot is not visible and this was noted on the day of the crash. Perhaps the loss of control was due to pilot incapacipation. He was 74 years old and pulling 5-7 g’s in the turns puts tremendous stress on the body. I don’t care that he passed a physical, 74 years old is just too old as the body is definitely in a state of deterioration and much more prone to sudden structural failure. I believe the race organizers may have been derelict in allowing this old but venerable pilot to participate in the race.
Agreed, a heavily modified 60 year old plane with a 74 year old pilot doing over 400 mph at 400 ft off the deck, 600 ft from a huge crowd….did the spectators really understand that risk level?
What is the threshold that the organizers use? a physical is one thing, but with all those variables…
All due respect to who sounds like an amazing pilot.