Crash at air race in Reno, Nevada, kills 10
September 20, 2011, 08:04 am
A modified World War II era P-51 Mustang crashed into a crowd of spectators at an air race, killing the pilot and ten spectators, and injuring 69. According to USA Today, 17 of the injured remain hospitalized, several of whom are in serious or critical condition.
The pilot, 74 year old Jimmy Leeward, had radically rebuilt the vintage airplane, shaving some five feet off of each wingspan to increase the top speed and maneuverability of the plane. Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board investigators are sifting through the enormous amount of debris, photographs and videos of the crash in an effort to determine the cause of the accident. In one widely circulated photograph of the plane taken just moments before the crash, Leeward is not visible in the cockpit, leading to speculation that he may have lost consciousness.
The FAA stated that it was conducting a full investigation into safety procedures at the race. The organization examines the race course and the spectator before air races to make sure the course is safe.
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