P51 Mustang into the crowd at the Reno Races just now

[Guppy35]

This link was posted on another forum regarding another racing Mustang that lost an elevator trim tab causing a 10 G pitch up.  This was back in 1998.  Pilot survived and got the plane down.

http://www.warbird.com/voodoo.html

[saggs]

I wonder if anybody has ever tried to convert one these unlimited race planes to a hydraulic assisted flying tail, at the speeds they go it seems like it would be safer.

This link was posted on another forum regarding another racing Mustang that lost an elevator trim tab causing a 10 G pitch up.  This was back in 1998.  Pilot survived and got the plane down.

http://www.warbird.com/voodoo.html

[Simaril]

Horrible tragedy - and kudos to the pilot for redirecting away from the grandstand (as eyewitnesses report happened).


_____

Also have to say kudos to this community. Read about the disaster in the news, but no one had any information about what may have led to the disaster. My next step was to come here, and true to form the AH aviation community had insights (and photos) I couldn't find elsewhere. <S>

[Maverick]

RIP to those who passed yesterday. May the injured recover quickly and fully.
 

I'm going to let the folks wo do the investigations for a living provide the information regarding the cause of the crash.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Looks like a pretty violent crash

[Devil 505]

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2011/09/17/von-air-show-crash.dwilson&iref=NS1
scary film here.

[Flipperk]

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2011/09/17/von-air-show-crash.dwilson&iref=NS1
scary film here.

Say that film earlier... it's so surreal to hear and watch that impact...

[Masherbrum]

It's a hunk of metal now, but it was a piece of art before it hit the ground. It looked like it might be pilot error, maybe a medical condition, Stroke, Heart attack, We'll never know. The owners of these planes are getting old and will not be replaced. It's sad, and says a lot about the US of today.

Maybe he was flying over the 30 HR a week limit imposed by the Unions and fell asleep. No, the pilot was an owner operator and was jacked up to the Hilt and racing hard, Making his investment stand out for the fans.

Very sad day.

You're a CM?   This is some of the most morally bankrupt syntax one can muster.    "It's a hunk of metal now".    You make me sick and it goes to show in what direction this game has headed.    

[Flipperk]

You're a CM?   This is some of the most morally bankrupt syntax one can muster.    "It's a hunk of metal now".    You make me sick and it goes to show in what direction this game has headed.    

The plane is not important, the lives that were involved are the important factor here.

I could care less about a P-51 crashing, it is a hunk of metal, and that's all it is...Human lives are far more important than any warbird.

[Masherbrum]

The plane is not important, the lives that were involved are the important factor here.

I could care less about a P-51 crashing, it is a hunk of metal, and that's all it is...Human lives are far more important than any warbird.

So making unsubstantiated statements of "pilot error, stroke, slams at Unions, says a lot about the US of today", is "the humane importance"?    Got it, but it has no bearing of the fact that the plane suffered a catastrophic failure.   The plane pitched up, rolled inverted and went nose first, this was told from a pylon judge at the races.

You also point out the obvious, I'm talking about the unnecessary crap that was contained in that post.    Also it was a heavily modified and updated 51 and far from the 44-15651 serial number it was given.  That post wasn't a "Human life is more important" post, but you are pretending that it is/was.  


Take someone like Bodhi, who met with him several times and wasn't "talked down too" by Leeward.    Jimmy seemed like he was just one of the guys and no doubt tried to clear his plane from the spectators.    Human aspects are always at the forefront in my mind.    

[ink]

was gonna post but......


damn.....6 billion people.......all im gonna say.

[Flipperk]

So making statements of "pilot error, stroke, pitched up, says a lot about the US of today", is acceptable?    Got it, but it has no bearing of the fact that the plane suffered a catastrophic failure.    The plane pitched up, rolled inverted and went nose first, this was told from a pylon judge at the races.

You also point out the obvious, I'm talking about the unnecessary crap that was contained in that post.    Also it was a heavily modified and updated 51 and far from the 44-15651 serial number it was given.

That post wasn't a "Human life is more important" post, but you are pretending that it is/was.    

You are putting words into my mouth that I never stated. All that you said was:

"It's a hunk of metal now".    You make me sick and it goes to show in what direction this game has headed.  


That is what I was responding to. If you can not control your emotions and reasonably respond like a big boy. Take a seat.




I totally agree with you, I may have miss understood your response and I apologize for mine. But really, be mature at your responses...

[Masherbrum]

You are putting words into my mouth that I never stated. All that you said was:

"It's a hunk of metal now".    You make me sick and it goes to show in what direction this game has headed.  


That is what I was responding to. If you can not control your emotions and reasonably respond like a big boy. Take a seat.

Nice deflection.

[Lepape2]

Why didn't the crash end up in a fireball? I read that some people have been splashed with fuel near the crash site. Anyway, it could have been much worse, as bad is it already it right now. However, I doubt given what we know that the pilot was even aware that he was about to slam straight down into the crowd with such G forces he was fighting against. Very sad event. My thoughts to victims and families, many of whom will end up missing arms and legs. Looking forward to the investigation results. Someone will be to blame for this as it looks like a recurring incident from the link guppy posted.

[Golfer]

Why didn't the crash end up in a fireball? I read that some people have been splashed with fuel near the crash site. Anyway, it could have been much worse, as bad is it already it right now. However, I doubt given what we know that the pilot was even aware that he was about to slam straight down into the crowd with such G forces he was fighting against. Very sad event. My thoughts to victims and families, many of whom will end up missing arms and legs. Looking forward to the investigation results. Someone will be to blame for this as it looks like a recurring incident from the link guppy posted.

I don't think Mr. Leeward was awake when he hit the ground.  An instant onset of 10G's (I was told the airplane had on board telemetry, so we may know what it actually was) when you're not ready for it is no laughing matter.  With that much force it can end up pushing you down in the cockpit, which happened to the pilot flying Voodoo back in the 90's when the same thing happened.  You can't see the pilot in the profile shots of the aircraft and even though it's a modified canopy you have to be pretty well bent over to have your whole head below the canopy out of view.

With that trim tab gone and flying in excess of 400 Knots you're looking at 200-225lbs of force needed to even move the stick.  Even if you were able to stay awake your only hope for a good outcome is to have the airplane climb skyward like Voodoo in the 90's.  That hundreds of people were not killed in this accident is huge stroke of good fortune in a very dark situation.

Your last line is in poor taste.