From the RGH: The National Transportation Safety Board confirms some of the air frame to Jimmy Leeward's P-51 separated at the Reno National Championship Air Races as his airplane crashed.The NTSB reports 10 fatalities on the ground and the death of the pilot and said 74 people were injured during the crash last Friday at the Reno-Stead Airport. It reports 66 of the injuries were serious.
The NTSB this morning released its preliminary report on the crash.
The report includes this description:
"The airplane was participating in the Reno National Championship Air Races in the last event of the day. The airplane had completed several laps and was in a steep left turn towards the home pylon when, according to photographic evidence, the airplane suddenly banked momentarily to the left before banking to the right, turning away from the race course, and pitching to a steep nose-high attitude. Witnesses reported and photographic evidence indicates that a piece of the airframe separated during these maneuvers. After roll and pitch variations, the airplane descended in an extremely nose-low attitude and collided with the ground in the box seat area near the center of the grandstand seating area."
http://www.rgj.com/article/20110923/EVENTS05/110923009/NTSB-confirms-P-51-had-airframe-separation-Reno-air-race-crash?odyssey=tabtopnewstextFRONTPAGE
Other Updates: So far, and rather surprisingly, no one has filed a lawsuit yet in connection to the flight. There is about $100 million in insurance money out there, so I am quite surprised that a ambulance chasing lawyer has not a client wanting to file a lawsuit yet. When the Amtrak-truck crash happened north of Reno, a lawsuit was filed in a couple of days after the crash and before all the bodies were removed.
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