P51 Mustang into the crowd at the Reno Races just now

[CAP1]

wow......

i thought that the trim tab was what caused the whole thing.......seeing this, it becomes obvious, that it wasn't.


 

[Brooke]

The video doesn't rule out the trim tab as the culprit, it just doesn't confirm it.

[Tigger29]

wow......

i thought that the trim tab was what caused the whole thing.......seeing this, it becomes obvious, that it wasn't.

It's still not obvious that it wasn't the cause.. it's only less obvious that it was.  Just because the trim tab hadn't yet broken off of the plane doesn't mean it wasn't malfunctioning when the plane pitched upwards.

One other possibility I can think of is that maybe the seat broke and the pilot grabbed the trim wheel as a last ditch effort to control the pitch.  The abrupt trim movement during the High G forces might have been what caused it to break off?  Just one of many theories at this point...

[CAP1]

It's still not obvious that it wasn't the cause.. it's only less obvious that it was.  Just because the trim tab hadn't yet broken off of the plane doesn't mean it wasn't malfunctioning when the plane pitched upwards.

One other possibility I can think of is that maybe the seat broke and the pilot grabbed the trim wheel as a last ditch effort to control the pitch.  The abrupt trim movement during the High G forces might have been what caused it to break off?  Just one of many theories at this point...

good points. i made the mistake of assuming, due to the fact that it was still there through part of the climb. the seat issue you mentioned, could have something to do with that momentary over-rotation in the turn?

[spammer]

What would Mr.Leeward say if he was interviewed today? Do you think he would blame his Crew or anyone else? You guys disrespect this Pilot and Race Team.

We'll never know, nor should we. They know the Game their Playing and so do the folks that show up to what ch a Race.

120 races prior to this, error free. These guys are to be complimented, not degraded.

[Widewing]

wow......

i thought that the trim tab was what caused the whole thing.......seeing this, it becomes obvious, that it wasn't.

It was absolutely the trim tab... It failed in the turn, detached completely later.... Did you notice how the Mustang suddenly tightened the turn then rolled and pitched up? The tail wheel came down on the initial tightening of the turn...

[Yeager]

What would Mr.Leeward say if he was interviewed today? Do you think he would blame his Crew or anyone else?
====
Maybe he would say that fate intervened, and that his crew was the very best, and that his airplane was ready to race.  Maybe he would say that life can sometimes be wonderful beyond description and rarely but surely so cruel as to be beyond understanding.

We'll never know, nor should we.
====
What a terrible waste that would be, and really a poorly thought out thing to say.  Every accident deserves to be understood and learned from to prevent another such occurrence from ever happening again.

They know the Game their Playing and so do the folks that show up to what ch a Race.
====
I think Mr. Leeward, may he rest in peace, understood perfectly the risk he was taking, and I believe he would never endanger the race spectators under any circumstances, ever.  

120 races prior to this, error free. These guys are to be complimented, not degraded.
====
Where has anyone in this thread spoken out and degraded anyone else living or deceased regarding this tragedy.  The airplanes are hot, the pilots and ground crew top professionals in their field.  I believe that people who go to see these races do not typically believe their lives are at any sort of unusual or heightened risk.  What happened there that day is a perfect example of life being unpredictable and without guarantee of safety, for anyone.

[spammer]

When we point blame................Assuming we know...........Someone feels the Burden of Guilt.

It was Tragic!  I cannot express my feelings for all that have lost a loved one or got hurt in this incident.

God Bless All

I know Jimmy would never jeopardize the fans in attendance, Just another example of who we are and the fight we face.

[CAP1]

It was absolutely the trim tab... It failed in the turn, detached completely later.... Did you notice how the Mustang suddenly tightened the turn then rolled and pitched up? The tail wheel came down on the initial tightening of the turn...

what i thought i noticed, was he was maintaining a bank angle...then rotated a few degrees farther into the bank. that's what i was asking about. it looked like that rotation was uncommanded, and corrected, then she climbed.......

[Yeager]

then she climbed.......

That is the point I think where G-LOC likely took hold.  I can only imagine the force of gravity under such stress.

[Brooke]

what i thought i noticed, was he was maintaining a bank angle...then rotated a few degrees farther into the bank. that's what i was asking about. it looked like that rotation was uncommanded, and corrected, then she climbed.......

Could be that he hit the wake of a preceding plane, or that could be when the tab started to fail.

[icepac]

I'm hearing telemetry numbers way in excess of 11Gs.

Will post them when they are official.

[CAP1]

That is the point I think where G-LOC likely took hold.  I can only imagine the force of gravity under such stress.

i don't think any of us can......and i know i don't want to.......

[Yeager]

yeah, I hear ya CAP.  I dont think Ive ever gone over 99mph and THAT was too damned fast.  I enjoy being rooted firmly on the ground.  I do enjoy watching others go fast though, from a good distance.

[CAP1]

yeah, I hear ya CAP.  I dont think Ive ever gone over 99mph and THAT was too damned fast.  I enjoy being rooted firmly on the ground.  I do enjoy watching others go fast though, from a good distance.

 i enjoy flying, and miss it a lot right now. in cessnas, i generally cruised at a screaming 115kts. i never felt the need to go much faster. my friends super decathalon, i think we cruised around 125 or 135 or so.

 if i had ever been to the reno races, i'd have wanted to be as close as possible. and if they don't end up getting killed off, and i get the chance to go....i will still get as close as i possibly can.