2011 Reno Air Races crash
Encyclopedia
On September 16, 2011, at the Reno Air Races
, a North American P-51D Mustang flown by James K. "Jimmy" Leeward
crashed into spectators, killing 11 people including the pilot, and injuring at least 69. It was the third-deadliest airshow disaster in U.S. history, following accidents in 1972 and 1951, as well as the deadliest aviation-related disaster in the U.S. since the crash of a Pilatus PC-12 airplane
in Montana
on March 22, 2009, which killed 14 people.
Leeward, 74, and his Mustang, The Galloping Ghost, were in fourth place and had just rounded the last pylon when the airplane abruptly pitched up, rolled inverted, then pitched down. The aircraft hit the tarmac in front of the grandstands in an area containing box seating.
Seven people, including the pilot, died at the crash site; four died later in the hospital. The weekend's remaining races at the Reno Air Races were cancelled.
The day after the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB) began examining whether part of the tail had come off before the crash. A photograph taken just before the crash showed the airplane inverted and the left elevator trim tab missing.
On October 21, 2011, Federal crash investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said that they found no readable onboard video amid the debris of the racing plane. However, they are still attempting to extract information from an onboard data memory card found among damaged aircraft components and other debris scattered over more than 2 acres following the crash, as well as hundreds of photos and dozens of videos provided by spectators.
44-15651
was owned by Aero Trans Corp., DBA in Ocala, Florida
.
The wings had been clipped a further 3 ft (0.9144 m) each side on top of the 4 ft (1.2 m) reduction in span earlier in its life.
The aircraft had a long history of successful competition in air races dating back to the National Air Races
from 1946 to 1949 in Cleveland. It was flown by a series of pilots under a variety of names, including "Miss Candace" from 1969 to 1978 and "Jeannie" in 1981.
Leeward called the modifications of the plane "radical." He said the oil system was similar to an oil cooling system in the Space Shuttle
. The canopy is about the size of the ones on Formula 1 aircraft. The modifications were meant to improve aerodynamics by reducing drag and hence increase top speed.
In 1998, another modified P-51 Mustang, Voodoo Chile, lost a left trim tab during the Reno Air Races. The pilot, "Hurricane" Bob Hannah
, reported that the airplane pitched up, subjecting him to more than 10 g
and knocking him unconscious
. When he regained consciousness, the plane had climbed to more than 9,000 feet, and he brought it in for a safe landing.
In 1999, another highly modified P-51 called Miss Ashley II, piloted by Gary Levitz, experienced rudder flutter during an Unlimited race at the Reno Air Races. The airframe broke up, killing Levitz.
Reno Air Races
The Reno Air Races, also known as the National Championship Air Races, take place each September at the Reno Stead Airport a few miles north of Reno, Nevada, USA...
, a North American P-51D Mustang flown by James K. "Jimmy" Leeward
Jimmy Leeward
James Kent "Jimmy" Leeward was an American air racer, owner of the Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, Florida, and the pilot of the heavily modified North American P-51 Mustang racing aircraft, The Galloping Ghost.-Career:...
crashed into spectators, killing 11 people including the pilot, and injuring at least 69. It was the third-deadliest airshow disaster in U.S. history, following accidents in 1972 and 1951, as well as the deadliest aviation-related disaster in the U.S. since the crash of a Pilatus PC-12 airplane
2009 Montana Pilatus PC-12 crash
The 2009 Pilatus PC-12 crash occurred near Butte, Montana at approximately 14:32 local time on March 22, 2009. All 14 people on board the single engine turboprop aircraft died when it crashed into a cemetery while on approach to Butte's Bert Mooney Airport...
in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
on March 22, 2009, which killed 14 people.
Leeward, 74, and his Mustang, The Galloping Ghost, were in fourth place and had just rounded the last pylon when the airplane abruptly pitched up, rolled inverted, then pitched down. The aircraft hit the tarmac in front of the grandstands in an area containing box seating.
Seven people, including the pilot, died at the crash site; four died later in the hospital. The weekend's remaining races at the Reno Air Races were cancelled.
The day after the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board
National Transportation Safety Board
The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent U.S. government investigative agency responsible for civil transportation accident investigation. In this role, the NTSB investigates and reports on aviation accidents and incidents, certain types of highway crashes, ship and marine...
(NTSB) began examining whether part of the tail had come off before the crash. A photograph taken just before the crash showed the airplane inverted and the left elevator trim tab missing.
On October 21, 2011, Federal crash investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board said that they found no readable onboard video amid the debris of the racing plane. However, they are still attempting to extract information from an onboard data memory card found among damaged aircraft components and other debris scattered over more than 2 acres following the crash, as well as hundreds of photos and dozens of videos provided by spectators.
Aircraft
The Mustang, named The Galloping Ghost, was a highly modified former military plane that in 2010 had come out of retirement after undergoing major modifications, including removal of the underbelly radiator and installation of a "boil off" cooling system, as well as other modifications that the owner describes as designed to make the plane more efficient. The former United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
44-15651
United States military aircraft serials
In the United States, all military aircraft display a serial number to identify individual aircraft. Because these numbers are located on the aircraft tail, they are sometimes referred to unofficially as "tail numbers"...
was owned by Aero Trans Corp., DBA in Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
.
The wings had been clipped a further 3 ft (0.9144 m) each side on top of the 4 ft (1.2 m) reduction in span earlier in its life.
The aircraft had a long history of successful competition in air races dating back to the National Air Races
National Air Races
The National Air Races were a series of pylon and cross-country races that took place in the United States from 1920 to 1949. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and...
from 1946 to 1949 in Cleveland. It was flown by a series of pilots under a variety of names, including "Miss Candace" from 1969 to 1978 and "Jeannie" in 1981.
Leeward called the modifications of the plane "radical." He said the oil system was similar to an oil cooling system in the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
. The canopy is about the size of the ones on Formula 1 aircraft. The modifications were meant to improve aerodynamics by reducing drag and hence increase top speed.
Previous incidents
On September 18, 1970, the airplane (then known as Miss Candace Race #69) crashed after an engine failure during an air show at Reno Stead Airport and landed short of the runway, with only minor injuries to pilot Dr. Cliff Cummins.In 1998, another modified P-51 Mustang, Voodoo Chile, lost a left trim tab during the Reno Air Races. The pilot, "Hurricane" Bob Hannah
Bob Hannah
Robert "Hurricane" Hannah was one of the most successful motocross racers in American history. He won a total of seven AMA national championships....
, reported that the airplane pitched up, subjecting him to more than 10 g
G-force
The g-force associated with an object is its acceleration relative to free-fall. This acceleration experienced by an object is due to the vector sum of non-gravitational forces acting on an object free to move. The accelerations that are not produced by gravity are termed proper accelerations, and...
and knocking him unconscious
G-LOC
G-LOC, pronounced 'GEE-lock', is the abbreviation of G-force induced Loss Of Consciousness, a term generally used in aerospace physiology to describe a loss of consciousness occurring from excessive and sustained g-forces draining blood away from the brain causing cerebral hypoxia...
. When he regained consciousness, the plane had climbed to more than 9,000 feet, and he brought it in for a safe landing.
In 1999, another highly modified P-51 called Miss Ashley II, piloted by Gary Levitz, experienced rudder flutter during an Unlimited race at the Reno Air Races. The airframe broke up, killing Levitz.
See also
- Sknyliv airshow disaster
- Ramstein airshow disasterRamstein airshow disasterThe Ramstein airshow disaster is the second-deadliest airshow incident . It took place in front of about 300,000 people on August 28 1988, in Ramstein, West Germany, near the city of Kaiserslautern at the US Ramstein Air Base airshow Flugtag '88.Aircraft of the Italian Air Force display team...
- List of airshow accidents
External links
- A recording of the emergency radio traffic, including Reno EMS (REMSA), fire, and police
- Video of the crash from YouTube
- Plane pulling out of race and crashing
- Local professor 'shaken' after catching air race crash on video katu.com. September 20, 2011.
- Information about the plane (44-15651) on MustangsMustangs.com
- Check-Six.com - Fatal Accidents associated with the National Championship Air Races