Airplane crash at Reno air races 2011 Friday sept 16

I read somewhere while finding updates 19 deaths before today

 

Not like this. It is over.

 

BREAKING: 2 spectators and Pilot confirmed dead in Crash

 

I just heard that an elementary school was there on a field trip andthey are all OK.

 

It's done for this year

 

They are saying 3 dead 56 injured

 

This is so awful........

 

More than 56 injured!

 

Yes, they are, and very important to the Reno economy. However, it is run on a lean budget once a year, and various issues far less than this have almost ended it over the years, including homeowners in the surrounding area who have had planes or their engines crash into their property or houses. It is a financially tenuous endeavor in the best of years.The insurance losses to RARA and god know what lawsuits will likely be too great to overcome. Not that this should be a primary concern for anyone directly involved in this tragedy.

It is held at a former air force base for one week once a year, not a full-time race facility like a race car track, which can have greater full-time protection for everyone. Not much can protect anyone from a plane coming straight down at 400 mph anyway. I more than anyone wish the races will continue, and those who participate fully understand the risks, I can assure you. But the race pilots I talked to said this will be it.

 

My prayers go out to all of those involved and affected by this. I agree that the whole deal has been hanging by a financial thread for years. I don't want to sound selfish, but this event is one of those deals that I want to do in a few years when the kids get bigger. This and Bonneville (another endangered event) are on the top of the list. So i hope this isn't the end of the air races, but if it is, can't really be mad about it.

 

Some very close footage of the crash

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b72_1316251626

 

Update yesterday from 5PM news
Death toll raised to 9 with 7 at scene and 2 at hospital.
75 people admitted to hospitals with 30 already released.
8 still in critical condition.
Multiple amputations performed and multiple with limbs in jeopardy.

NTSB reports impact crator 3' to 5' deep and 6' to 8' wide. Parts and pieces scattered over an acre.

Prayers & Suport thread.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/pr...rt-needed-after-p-51-crash-2.html#post3739752

 

wow!!!!

 

That is insane. Wow. Like a bomb going off.

 

After several days of seeing some horribly ill-informed and terribly sensationalistic yellow journalism, combined with profoundly igonorant public comment (thank you, internet), I think it is important to spread the word about the reality of the sport's history, participants, and fans to conterbalance the absurd, ignorant crap propagated by the media and the suckers who eat it up.

To that end, I invite anyone who has felt similary, or cares to learn more about this incredible sport and event, to visit the predominant forum for it, AAFO.com.

Threads on this topic are now being posted as the horror and tragedy of this accident is becoming more distant, and the reality of what the future may hold is beginning to take shape.

http://www.aafo.com/hangartalk/showthread.php?t=9300

 

^^^ huh

 

The sudden dipping of the wing may well have been caused by a patch of turbulence (bad air) in the wake of the leading plane. Jimmy likely responded to this with some control input to correct back to race course line. What happened between that and the severe nose pitch up, who knows. The tailgear dropping out indicates extreme G-loading, probably about 9-10 Gs, and it is likely that this caused Jimmy to pass out. After that, just physics. I doubt he was in control at that point, and other photos with clear shots of the cockpit show no pilot. This indicates he was likely slumped over forward, or the seat may have broken and folded back into the fuselage.

 

For those of you who are interested in the future of this event, RARA issued a recent press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: ​

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Mike Draper, R&R Partners
Jan.4, 2012 (775) 336‐4547​

mike.draper@rrpartners.com​

National Championship Air Races introduces Blue Ribbon Review
Panel; announce dates for 2012 event​

Reno, Nev. –​

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In a press conference to discuss the future of the National Championship Air Races, the
Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) announced on Wednesday the formation of a Blue Ribbon Review
Panel to study the event. The panel will examine any possible changes or modifications that could be
made to enhance the already high level of safety established by the FAA and existing RARA procedures.
RARA also announced that, despite many challenges in the near and long‐term future, they are planning
to hold the 49th Annual National Championship Air Races at the Reno‐Stead Airfield, Sept. 12 – 16, 2012.
“Buoyed by the overwhelming support of the victims and families of last year’s terrible tragedy, our
sponsors, air race participants and fans and aviation enthusiasts all over the world, we are absolutely
committed to doing everything we can to hold this historic event in 2012,” said Mike Houghton,
president and CEO of RARA. “The safety of our fans and pilots has always been our foremost and
primary concern, which is why we feel so strongly about a blue ribbon review. This effort is not designed
to interfere or duplicate the efforts of the National Transportation Safety Board and we will continue to
cooperate with them to the fullest extent.”
The panel conducted its first meeting shortly after the press conference and will release its preliminary
results and recommendations to RARA within the next 90 days, allowing race officials to study them
before the event’s annual Pylon Racing Seminar (PRS) in June.
Headed by former Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Jim Hall, and former
Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Nick Sabatini,
the four members of the panel bring a wide breadth and depth of experience. The panel is rounded out
with two aviation legends, Steve Hinton, a highly‐acclaimed movie stunt pilot, aviation choreographer,
two‐time national Unlimited Air Race champion and current pace plane pilot in the Unlimited Class, and
John Sharp, an aeronautical engineer and the winningest pilot in the history of air racing.
“In addition to the blue ribbon panel, as is an annual matter of course, we will work with the race classes
and emergency responders to conduct an internal review, in the very near future, of all of the event’s
operations and procedures,” said Houghton. “Until we get further down the road, we will not speculate
on possible changes to the event or the results of either of these reviews or the NTSB investigation. As
has been the case, the NTSB has asked that they remain the point for all communications related to the
accident.”
The not‐for‐profit event is a year‐round effort that regularly attracts more than 200,000 spectators and
generates an estimated $85 million annually to northern Nevada’s economy. It was also announced that,
RARA had a loss of up to $1.5 million for 2011. Race officials wanted to make it very clear that, while this
financial loss presents a significant hurdle, thanks to the continued generosity, sympathy and support of
the event’s fans and sponsors, the loss could be overcome.​

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Air Races Blue Ribbon Audit Panel, cont’d (p. 2) ‐​

“We know there are many people in our organization, our community and all over the world who have
been significantly impacted by last year’s tragedy and our thoughts and prayers remain with them,” said
Houghton. “However, we have heard from a vast majority of these people that this event must continue
on and many of our fans and sponsors have volunteered to do whatever they can in order to help
ensure the successful continuation of the National Championship Air Races. It’s in this spirit that we’re
working towards holding a poignant and successful event in 2012.”
In order for the 2012 event to occur, RARA must receive permits from the City of Reno, Reno​

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‐Tahoe
Airport Authority and the FAA. RARA has already begun to initiate conversations with each of these
entities regarding permitting for 2012 and these conversations are ongoing.
“For planning purposes, we have to receive our waiver from the FAA for PRS by the end of February or
March, at the latest,” said Houghton. “This will provide a pretty good indication of our ability to get
permits and waivers for September’s event. Regardless, many people, including victims of the accident,
have told us they are coming to Reno in September, one way or another. We’ll do whatever we have to
do in order to memorialize and celebrate courage, passion and indomitable spirit that is so often
associated with aviation but, more importantly, was so vividly exhibited during the accident and the
weeks and months since, even if that means just holding a memorial air show.”​

For more information on the National Championship Air Races, visit www.airrace.org.