Plane Crashes Into Stands At Reno Air Races

[WhiteSE]

Amazing how the mod's for speed make such a difference...When they made the P-51 for war, many propbably made it back with half the tail shot off. But now the line is so much more single minded in purpose, that such a small piece seems so fundamental to the flying characteristics of the aircraft...I would have thought that something else might have failed as well?

 

[Sam Cogley]

Amazing how the mod's for speed make such a difference...When they made the P-51 for war, many propbably made it back with half the tail shot off. But now the line is so much more single minded in purpose, that such a small piece seems so fundamental to the flying characteristics of the aircraft...I would have thought that something else might have failed as well?

The altitude has to be taken into consideration as well. When dogfighting thousands of feet up, a pilot is going to have a lot more time to correct for issues.

 

[JohnVF]

The altitude has to be taken into consideration as well. When dogfighting thousands of feet up, a pilot is going to have a lot more time to correct for issues.

The pilots correction to pull out of the race line could also have lead to something like a stall. Which I'm only speculating from my obviously very accurate experience with computer flight simulators, Those little short wings look like that high angle of attack upon pull up could easily result in a loss of lift. The most detailed video I've seen indicates a pull up out of the line of flight, the plane very quickly going vertical, and then it looks almost like a stall, nosing over and going straight in with a last minute adjustment/flattening of the descent right before impact.

I would imagine that the shortening of the wings could seriously affect the plane's ability to correct such a thing. Again, all of this is wild speculation on my part. My real life flying experience consists of handling a Cessna for 10 minutes, making one slooooow turn.

Does anybody know if the trim tabs on these racing planes are used to help actuate the controls? That could play a big part in the controls not behaving like the pilot thinks they would, right? Ok, I'll stop armchair piloting now. My high school fascination with flying is by this time several decades past its prime.

 

[WhiteSE]

The altitude has to be taken into consideration as well. When dogfighting thousands of feet up, a pilot is going to have a lot more time to correct for issues.

agreed....But i was thinking of the nose dive..he managed to pull up into the mayday maneuver..so he had control in the upwards direction...at least at that point...

 

[jaymanaa]

Nine dead (inc. Pilot) 56 injured, just reported from FOX. (source NTSB)

 

[JohnVF]

agreed....But i was thinking of the nose dive..he managed to pull up into the mayday maneuver..so he had control in the upwards direction...at least at that point...

If the trim tab would have allowed a more subtle movement of the elevator, maybe he did not intend the plane to pitch up that wildly. And once it did, with those stubby wings, wouldn't a stall of some sort have been a real possibility?

We have to have some pilots on this board. What a beautiful aircraft, regardless of the tragedy. I read that that particular plane had been competing in different guises longer than any other racing plane, going back to the Cleveland Air Races.

 

[jaymanaa]

New crash today at an airshow in Martinsville, but only the pilot died.

 

[kneeOhFight]

Nine dead 56 injured, just reported from FOX.

makes me wonder what it really is...probably closer to the facts than the garbage they initially reported. I'd sooner turn on The Ren & Stimpy show for some semblance of truth that the "fair and balanced" bunch.

 

[jaymanaa]

I'd sooner turn on The Ren & Stimpy show for some semblance of truth that the "fair and balanced" bunch.

That's what you should do then.:yes: (assuming your TV has a channel selector of some sort)

 

[usedto]

Interesting responses.

A few weeks ago there was a thread about the stage collapsing at a concert, and 99% of the posts were trying to determine who was to blame.

Now, we have ANOTHER catastrophic event, and a bunch of you say, "Oh, well, that's just the way it goes! That's all part of the event! It's the chance you take!"

I can guarantee you one thing - not a single one of those killed at EITHER event walked out their front door and said, "I think I'll take a chance at dying today!"

 

[JohnVF]

I can guarantee you one thing - not a single one of those killed at EITHER event walked out their front door and said, "I think I'll take a chance at dying today!"

Absolutely. But at every airshow I've been to, the thought has crossed my mind. Its also crossed my mind at a few concerts where I feared a stampede and getting squashed. Should they have cancelled all live concerts after the stampede at that Who concert?

The point is...airplanes flying at close to the speed of sound over your head, isn't without risk. But I would rather live in a society where I'm free to watch those planes, because I love it. We live in a society almost completely devoid of adrenaline rush. Let me get the little excitement that I can, even if it means I go out early because of it.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Interesting responses.

A few weeks ago there was a thread about the stage collapsing at a concert, and 99% of the posts were trying to determine who was to blame.

Now, we have ANOTHER catastrophic event, and a bunch of you say, "Oh, well, that's just the way it goes! That's all part of the event! It's the chance you take!"

I can guarantee you one thing - not a single one of those killed at EITHER event walked out their front door and said, "I think I'll take a chance at dying today!"

There's a big difference between going to an event where you know large objects are going to be moving very quickly while low to the ground and going to an event where such things aren't happening. Anyone going to a car race or an air show that doesn't know a crash is possible is an idiot.

 

[jaymanaa]

Absolutely. But at every airshow I've been to, the thought has crossed my mind. Its also crossed my mind at a few concerts where I feared a stampede and getting squashed. Should they have cancelled all live concerts after the stampede at that Who concert?

The point is...airplanes flying at close to the speed of sound over your head, isn't without risk. But I would rather live in a society where I'm free to watch those planes, because I love it. We live in a society almost completely devoid of adrenaline rush. Let me get the little excitement that I can, even if it means I go out early because of it.

Well said.

 

[electronjohn]

It's called "the Mayday maneuver"...pull up & get out of the path of other aircraft as quickly as possible, then turn towards the center of the course. Gets the aircraft away from the crowd & in a position to execute an emergency landing as quickly as possible.

 

[usedto]

Anyone going to a car race or an air show that doesn't know a crash is possible is an idiot.

Ask anyone going to a car race if they expect a crash to send a car into the crowd, and you will probably find just as many who expect the stage to fall.

And if you ARE correct, and that expectation is reasonable, then why have NASCAR, NHRA, IHBA, and a multitude of other racing venues been sued for spectator accidents?

 

[JohnVF]

And if you ARE correct, and that expectation is reasonable, then why have NASCAR, NHRA, IHBA, and a multitude of other racing venues been sued for spectator accidents?

The grocery store that I used to work for was sued all the time for stuff, including somebody falling on a grape. Which is to say, people suing is just something that happens. The only way to avoid it is to have people sign a waiver. Which I would happily do if it keeps the air shows around. "I know the risks and except them, signed JohnVF".

 

[Sam Cogley]

Ask anyone going to a car race if they expect a crash to send a car into the crowd, and you will probably find just as many who expect the stage to fall.

Probably true, which says a lot about how oblivious many people are.

And if you ARE correct, and that expectation is reasonable, then why have NASCAR, NHRA, IHBA, and a multitude of other racing venues been sued for spectator accidents?

Depends on the situation. If something happened because someone was negligent, then they damned well should be sued over it. If every reasonable precaution was taken, and something horrible still happens...that's just life.

 

[JohnVF]

Probably true, which says a lot about how oblivious many people are.



Depends on the situation. If something happened because someone was negligent, then they damned well should be sued over it. If every reasonable precaution was taken, and something horrible still happens...that's just life.

Good points. And just because somebody sues, does not mean that the case was settled in their favor.

 

[jaymanaa]

Next time you buy a Gates belt for your car, read the back of the cardboard thing. It actually tells you to turn the engine off before replacing the belt. That's where we are folks.

 

[bowtie427ss]

.....................then why have NASCAR, NHRA, IHBA, and a multitude of other racing venues been sued for spectator accidents?

Because we live in a very litigious society(nation), outside of it i'd guess such lawsuits are very uncommon.