HORRIFIC CRASH at National Airshow in Reno, 3 Dead— VIDEO
Posted by Jim Hoft on Friday, September 16, 2011, 7:36 PM
At least 75 casualties – 3 Dead—
KTVN reported that 3 are dead including the pilot and at least 75 are injured.
An airplane crashed into the stands at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada tonight.
There are reports of several casualties. The pilot was 74 years old.
This is breaking video—
The AP reported:
A plane plunged into the stands 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 video of the crash showed a horrific scene of bodies and wreckage at the front of the stands.
Mike Draper, a spokesman for the air races, told The Associated Press that Jimmy Leeward was the pilot of the P-51 Mustang that crashed into the box seat area at the front of the grandstand about 4:30 p.m. He said he did not have any information on the number of injured.
The National Championship Air Races draws thousands of people every year in September to watch various military and civilian planes race.
Local KOLO TV has more on the crash:
Multiple fatalities at the Reno Air Races after an Unlimited plane crashed into the box seats directly infront of the master of ceromony soon after take-off.
According to the Director of Communications at Renown, Kathy Carter, they are under ‘code triage’ which means extra available personnel will be called in and extra beds will be made available.
Click here to find out more!Renown has been told to expect 80-100 injured. Right now 6 have been received but the severity of their injuries is unknown at this time.
Unlimited plane has crashed at the Reno Air Races just after 4 p.m. that has killed 12 people and injured at least 30 Friday, hitting people seated in the box seats near the grandstand.
According to witnesses pilot Jimmy Leeward was flying the Galloping Ghost, that went down soon after take-off during the beginning of the Unlimited race. It was the third lap and he was in second position when he veered skyward and crashed suddenly.
The Unlimited plane slid into the grandstand, box seats injuring dozens of spectators.
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Published May 22, 2012 at 5:04 am - 27 Comments
aprilnovember811 commented:
How tragic.
Matt commented:
You posted the video so people could rubberneck at your site.
Stay classy!
plain truth commented:
@matt
So did Fox News, MSNBC, CNN and about 100 other sites. It’s news. So is the video.
Andreas K. commented:
Jimmy Leeward is a known top-notch guy in the scene. His P-51 was a very badass plane. Something must have gone horribly wrong for such a good pilot ending up in such a horrifying crash.
Bill Mitchell commented:
I’m actually surprised this sort of thing doesn’t happen more often. You are flying 70 year old planes at 300 mph right over people’s heads.
Andreas K. commented:
Has nothing to do with the age of the planes. The machines are kept in better condition than the vast majority of the cars you meet every day in the streets.
Patty commented:
80 year old pilot, too old to be doing this at this venue.
Patty commented:
The pilot could have a stroke or heart attack at that age. Anyone could but odds of an 80 year old are much greater and barrel rolls. Geesh!
Andreas K. commented:
Ground reports suggest that Leeway tried to plow her into the ground before hitting the grand stand. However, she slid into the stands anyway, but if the reports turn out to be true he likely saved dozens of lives.
Btw, almost 85 people died in traffic accidents in the US just today.
Andreas K. commented:
Leeward, even.
Bad day for air-racing. Now all the morons will come out whining against this sport.
yeosailor commented:
Prayers for the fallen and their families.
John6_35to40 commented:
I have been eligible for AARP for a long time, so let me say it: There is NO EXCUSE for an 80-year-old man flying a plane under these circumstances.
texas commented:
RIP – Pilot of the Ghost – Jimmy Leeward — His facebook page–> http://tinyurl.com/5u3vdav He had a link on FB to watch the air races live. sigh
Prayers & Condolences 4 Family & friends of all in this tragic air crash
yeosailor commented:
Hey John6, not to quibble, but AARP is a money-making organization, and definitely left-wing.
I agree with you on the 80-year-old man flying a plane under these circumstances bit though.
Patty commented:
These things don’t happen that often. Really! It seems that way because the media reports things over and over again.
This man who piloted this plane loved what he did, father and brother fly and now my nephew. The point is when someone is that old he or she really shouldn’t be performing in an airshow.
And it is true the spectators are too close to the show itself. The race car incident last year that drove into the crowd was a great example.
Doing something you love and entertaining the fans is great. No one expects tragedy but they are not that common.
Taqiyyotomist commented:
How many people have hit, accidentally, CTRL+R, while typing a post.
I just did, three god-damned times, while typing a comment.
Screw you, programmers, engineers, and designers. All of you. You suck.
Who the F designed this keyboard?
Who the F made it so I can’t disable “CTRL +R”? You suck, whoever you are. I hope your Lexus gets vandalized.
Andreas K. commented:
John, what circumstances? He had a licence. Aviation phycisicans declared him fit to fly. You can’t just hop into a plane without licence and fly there. You only get a licence (and maintain one) as long as the docs declare you fit. Few years back Bob Hoover’s licence was pulled and he was way in the 80s (rumor says it was more of a personnel vendetta than because of him not being fit anymore.)
The plane, like all racing birds, was heavily modified. The Ghost was a beauty. Leeward a known pro. Something must have gone horrifyingly wrong.
The racers are a small community, spending a lot of time and money on their birds. This is not only horrible for the people who were injured and killed and their families, but also for the entire racing community.
And, btw, we don’t even know what exactly happened, though it seems Leeward avoided the stands. Imagine the bird would have actually hit the stands.
Taqiyyotomist commented:
What I was going to say, three goddamned times, thwarted each time by some (idiot?) intentionally-malicious keyboard-and-software designers, was:
OBAMA IS THE PILOT HERE.
OUR NATION IS THIS PLANE.
HE IS DOING IT INTENIONALLY.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF MANY. MANY SIGNS.
yeosailor commented:
It’s easy on the internet to say anything, but truly: blessings on those who have suffered this tragedy. We are all Americans folks.
Taqiyyotomist commented:
Using a paperclip to pry the left-CTRL key off works wonders.
Since the ten thousand programmers of Windows can’t seem to make me able to disable that MF-er.
Taqiyyotomist commented:
(Thanks, Democrat Communists! For making everyone in America so damn stupid, even the makers of these operating systems, computers, and browsers! Quite an achievement, that! Another 50 or so years and you’ll have us hauling water from the river, in clay pots, balanced on our heads! HOPE!!! CHANGE!!!)
bigkahuna commented:
These accidents have happened pretty often for a sport that doesnt have all that many spectators. Their record of deaths in the past few years is not good.
They need to do a better job of keep fans /stands out of harms way.
This guy is 80 years old flying 400+ mph ??? Sorry Thats just not smart on anyones part. Just asking for trouble no matter the planes reliability.
They now have many dead spectators and lots of lawsuits to come. This league will fold quick
Patty commented:
Yes, physicians must examine the pilots and approve them fit to fly.
Our the physicians putting the 80 year old and other pilots through simulators to test them every time they go out and fly. Of course not.
Older people are risking their life and others but they love to fly and it is a roll of the dice.
Also, rolls, nose dives, speed, loops do affect the blood flow and I am not being hateful but this pilot if he loved to fly could have on his own and not in front of children, mothers, fathers, etc. He was too old.
Timmy commented:
“The pilot could have a stroke or heart attack at that age.”
What the hell does age have to do with it! I am only 46 and had a Heart Attack at 44…what’s your point??? How do you know what caused this accident? Ever consider perhaps some mechanical/hydraulic/ electrical problem could be the cause? There are hundreds of 80+ citizens driving, flying and piloting ships every day….keep your assumptions to yourself!!!
Timmy commented:
‘Patty commented’
Please stop while you are behind…the more you write, the more moronic you sound!
Sasja commented:
Taqi needs to chill. Taking our Lord’s name in vain is not going to help your typing skills.
This is a very sad day for those who had a family member injured or killed. Once in a while there will be accidents at air shows, but we kill ourselves with more frequency while driving.
Sasja commented:
Love some of the assumptions being made because of the pilot’s age. My next door neighbor is 85 but you wouldn’t know it. I thought he was in his 60′s. He flies, rides his Hog, runs every morning.
Objective Analysis commented:
Just like driving a car, an 80 year old man should NOT be flying an aircraft. I don’t care if he did it 40 to 50 years ago. TALK ABOUT LAWSUITS – WRONGFUL DEATH AND NEGLIGENCE CLAIMS OF THE RENO AIR RACE & OTHERS FOR PERSONAL INJURY. talk about a hazard to everyone involved.
Air race company needs to settle this matter ASAP and compensate everyone impacted who had injury or lost love ones.
This was unacceptable.
Craig commented:
Whay is wrong with you people? You hate old folks? They usually are the smartest people and the most experienced one. Boy… how old is this crowd here on this site? Twelve to eighteen years of age? You must like Obamacare that would gladly kill grandma to give jobs to 10 teachers.
There is so much hate on this site. What is happening here? Calm down folks, accident happens at any age. What if the pilot was is in his twenthies, what would you say about him? That he is a dum unexperience pilot? You stink!
Reno_Dave commented:
I was at the races today, but left about thirty minutes before this race (the final race of the day) began. While we were driving South on Hwy 395 towards Reno, the planes passed directly overhead in a line abreast as they headed towards the starting line. A few minutes later, and five or six miles further down the highway, we began to see emergency vehicles headed north, and we began to comment that there must have been a crash.
The bleachers are well back from the main runway, which is the location of the Start/Finish line. Normally, the planes are flying the length of the runway, parallel to the bleachers. Ninety percent of the course is over high desert scrubland.
Whenever a pilot has some kind of trouble, he or she immediately climbs away from the course in order to evaluate the problem then decide whether they should remain aloft for a few more minutes until the race ends, or land on an emergency runway (races are usually no longer than ten minutes in length).
It appears that Leeward began his climb out of the course, but then something catastrophic must have happened, because the plane rolled onto its back, then plunged into the ground.
At any other place on the course, he would have crashed into the high desert.
BTW, some on the news say that the pilots are flying “wing to wing”, as if it’s constantly happening. Most of the time, the planes are separated by pretty good distances, though sometimes, like when they cross the finish line in a close finish, their wingtips may be as few as 20 feet apart.
NASCAR racing, though at half the speed, involves vehicles traveling within inches of each other, and those vehicles sometimes deliberately bump each other.
Air racing is nothing like that.
Finally, it’s just been said at a press conference at Stead Airport that Leeward was 74, not 80.
lizzy84 commented:
Fox Live Press Conference from Reno —the spokesperson is reporting that Jimmy Leeward was 74 and that his medical papers/clearances were all in order.
RIP, Jimmy Leeward.
Prayers and condolences to all involved.
Andreas K. commented:
First real news:
“As most of you probably know, we’ve lost one of the greatest men some of us have ever known. From what we know, Jimmy Leeward’s elevator trim tab departed, causing him to lose control and crash. There have been lives lost on the ground, when we’re sure all relatives of casualties have been notified, we will reopen the message board. The races have been cancelled for this year, as for years to come, “we’re taking things one day at a time” is what Mike Hougton has just said in a press conference Our prayers go out to the Leeward family and all of those on the ground who were hurt.”
If anyone wants to bitch about that, go check how the elevator trim can f*ck up your day in ways you’ve never imagined.
Also, why do I feel all these reports of body parts are going to turn out to be mostly bogus…
Andreas K. commented:
Also:
I quote a fellow from The Blaze: “For all of you ignorant trolls out there. Flying is a privilege that requires a yearly medical exam to keep your pilots license active. Jimmy had to been current because flying warbirds requires not only a regular license but a commercial ticket and various type ratings for specific aircraft (Like the P-51) in the experimental category! Jimmy was a great pilot and a huge contributor to the warbird community and will be missed! Blue Skies forever”
Indeed. Blue Skies forever.
KevHead commented:
I read the elevator or the trim tab came off as seen by the pilot in the aircraft behind him. This had NOTHING TO DO with his age. Mechanical malfunction.
dannyb commented:
Prayers to everyone involved in this terrible accident. Why are so many so quick to blame and hate?
Taqi, give it a break. Your rant about the keyboard demonstrated your character and your rant about Obama shows your ignorance. Obama is about as middle of the road as a politician can get and to believe he is intentionally trying to crash this country is ludicrous. You can disagree with his politics (as I often do) but get yourself grounded in reality. This country needs people to demonstrate some intelligence!
Craig commented:
You can see a picture of Jimmy Leeward in this article. The picture was taken on Oct. 27, 2010
Speed and flying were Leeward’s lifelong passions
http://www.ocala.com/article/20110916/ARTICLES/110919731/1001/news01?p=1&tc=pg
Extracts:
“Jim Lynch, a resident of Leeward Air Ranch, a fly-in community that Leeward founded southeast of Ocala, described the Galloping Ghost as a highly modified racing version of the P-51 Mustang. He said Leeward was likely traveling at about 500 mph at the time of the accident. Jimmy radioed a mayday, indicating an emergency, just before the crash, Lynch said.
“Jimmy was a very, very good pilot,” said Lynch. “He was extremely conscientious in what he was doing at all times in the cockpit. I would personally think that Jimmy would do anything in his power to keep the aircraft from getting anywhere near the people. This was just a very tragic situation.”
Reno_Dave commented:
To give an idea of the layout of the airport, go to the following google maps link:
http://g.co/maps/4upcj
The location marked by “A” is within about 200 feet of where the plane crashed. The main grandstands are the large white structure to the South. in front of those stands, box seats are normally set up, and it was near those box seats where the crash occurred.
You can see that the runway, over which the pilots can race, is at least 1000 feet from the stands.
At the top of the photo is a checkered tower, which marks the Start/Finish line. I believe the planes normal run parallel to the runway between the runway and the tower, so normally, they’re actually further away from the fans than 1000 feet.
Of course, an aircraft traveling 400 MPH can traverse that 1000 ft in a very short time.
BTW, 30 minutes before the crash, I was sitting in the west end of the second dark green bleacher to the right of the main bleachers, about 500 feet from the eventual crash site.
Indigo Red commented:
The P-51 Mustang, known as Galloping Ghost, was a highly modified former military plane that recently came out of retirement and undergoing major modifications – shortening the wings and appendages and other major modifications owner Leeward said was meant to make the plane more efficient.
Reno_Dave commented:
Indigo Red,
Many of the “Unlimited Class” planes are highly modified, including Strega, a P-51 which is piloted by 23 year-old Steve Hinton, who has won the Unlimited “Gold” race the past two years, and a couple of days ago, set a course record of slightly over 499MPH.
http://www.strega.com/
No matter how well a plane is prepared for a race, just as with a NASCAR or IndyCar race car, mechanical failures can happen.
R985wasp commented:
Thank you to the folks who have responded in a factual and intelligent manner.
I’m sick and tired of reading about Jimmy’s age, or that he was flying “directly over the crowd”
Jimmy was a better stick than 99% of the airline “pilots” you people don’t think twice about climbing inboard to take your $300 trips to Vegas. His age has nothing to do with it, and the course is not over the crowd.
He called Mayday, pulled up and the aircraft lost control. It is apparent he did everything he could to miss the crowd.
Every time an aviation accident occurs, it’s just a feeding frenzy of morons posting stupid opinions when they have no idea about aviation, aerodynamics, vintage aircraft, air shows or racing. What shall we do? Capitalize on this “crisis”? Outlaw air shows and racing? Ground all vintage aircraft? You know, sometimes sh*t just happens.
The facts will emerge that this was a mechanical failure, but that won’t stop the overlords from overreacting, or the pundits and so-called “experts” from hyperventilating over this.
Flying is safe. The pilots are skilled. The maintenance is meticulous, but life is not free from danger.
If you don’t like it, stay in the house and watch golf.
Some of us live and understand there is risk involved. I’m sorry for anyone who doesn’t understand this.
Michael commented:
I’m amazed at the number of people out there that commented about the pilot’s age. It’s clear that the clear majority of people commenting here know absolutely nothing about aviators physical health requirents required by the FAA. I never knew so many Shadetree Flight Surgeons were out there posting comments this evening. Until the NTSB completes their meticulous investigation, we will not know what the true cause of this tragedy was, so let’s hold off on assigning blame until then.
Billy Ray commented:
Senator Inhofe, a fine pilot himself, and Governor Perry, a former military aviator, will represent our free skies in Washington in the wake of this horror.
In Senator Inhofe and Governor Perry, the Tea Party knows the skies will remain free for all.
Troy M commented:
I’m appalled by the comment of Objective Analysis and that just goes to show the culture you have created in the United States. Let’s blame others and put our hands out for money as soon as possible. As an Australian I sincerely feel for the loss of those who attended and were injured or killed and to their families. In regards to the pilot as commented by many others I don’t think age is a factor. People can suffer slow responses or heart attacks or any other possible symptoms at any age. If he were not up to the flying the doctors would not pass him, look at his previous flying record not the one tragic accident. And until the facts become known it cannot be deemed pilot error or mechanical failure, that is something the crash investigation will show. Back to the people who attended, in my opinion you attend at your own risk if something happens that is an accident why go screaming for money? It makes me sick as it does many Australians that the culture of not accepting personal responsibility or accidents is so rife in the USA. We see the same thing but luckily not to such a large extent.
Craig commented:
Billy Ray (#42)
Don’t forget Ron Paul.
Ron Paul served as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force
John Cooper commented:
R985wasp: Well said. I’d rather fly with a 74 y.o. Leeward or Hoover than these 25 y.o. “shake and bake” pilots the airlines are hiring these days who spent most of their 1200 hrs. nodding off in right seat of a C-172. It looks like an elevator trim tab failure. From Flightglobal:
That would do it.
rickl commented:
Thanks to Reno_Dave and others who contributed calm, rational, factual comments. They are much more interesting to read than hysterical arm-waving.
I remember going to a baseball game when I was 12 and reading the fine print on the back of my ticket. It said that I attended the game at my own risk, and neither the club nor the stadium was responsible for any injuries caused by balls, bats, or players diving into the stands to make a catch. Seems pretty reasonable and straightforward.
Anyone attending an air race or air show knows–or should know–that there is a remote possibility of being killed in a crash. The odds of that happening are miniscule, but they are not zero. Nevertheless, millions of people attend air shows every year without incident. I’ve been to them many times. They are great fun. Fortunately, I’ve never witnessed a tragedy.
rickl commented:
I said above that I’ve been to air shows, but I’ve never been to an air race. Reno is the only one I know of nowadays, and I’m on the other side of the continent. Maybe a race fan can correct me if I’m wrong.
The heyday of air racing was in the 1920s and 30s, and they were held all over the country. Airplanes were evolving rapidly, and manufacturers showed off experimental planes that used cutting-edge, often unproven, technology. Pilots flew at the very limits of their abilities. Needless to say, crashes and fatalities were fairly commonplace. But fans also got to see history being made, as world speed records were often set and broken at air races. The Army pilot Jimmy Doolittle first became famous as a race pilot, long before the Doolittle Raid of World War II.
But after the war, the evolution of aircraft shifted to military research. Now cutting-edge technology was tested, and speed records set, at places like Edwards Air Force Base, and often in secret. Air racing started up again in the postwar era, but it was never the same. Reno is a vestige of a lost era. Today’s race pilots fly P-51s, not F-22s.
Joe commented:
Sorry, but this is not about hating or discriminating against older people. But there is a thing called common sense. Common sense dictates that a 74 year old man doesn’t have the physical conditioning, stamina, or reflexes to by flying a plane like this. If he want’s fly it casually, fine. But not like this. The G-forces alone on a 74 year old body, on any body, is immense. It’s just not feasible.
Joe commented:
By the way, condolences to his family and friends, and to those killed or injured.
AviatorMedical commented:
It appears the pilot’s age had nothing to do with this crash. There are many reports and pictures on the internet that show a piece of the elevator section of the tail missing and that the pilot radioed a “mayday” right before the crash. Also, the tail wheel had been deployed (not supposed to be deployed in cruise flight). This is just a very unfortunate accident involving innocent bystanders. Prayers for all involved.
rickl commented:
It was a mechanical failure. An elevator trim tab came loose in mid-air. It had NOTHING to do with the pilot’s age. It’s entirely possible that Leeward’s experience and skill kept the casualties from being much worse.
http://www.kolotv.com/
That’s a link to KOLO’s front page. I can’t seem to link the photo directly.
rickl commented:
AviatorMedical:
I didn’t see your comment when I hit “post”. That’s the first time I heard about the tail wheel. What would have caused both the tail wheel to deploy and the elevator trim tab to come loose?
Stuart commented:
Reno Dave, Andreas K
I concur. As an air show junkie and a private pilot, I know your comments are right on.
Objective Analysis #28 must be a lawyer sniffing the air for a buck.
His comments are like those of a soccer fan commenting on how many goals Babe Ruth kicked.
Bob Z commented:
Why was there no fireball? Look at the picture around 2:12 in this video. No pilot. Some say he was slumped over. But not much room in there.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/reno-air-crash-wrong-14546088