Plane modifications led to Reno air race crash.

[@bigmonmatt]

Props to the guy filming the first angle. I can't believe he stood his ground and managed to film it perfectly without shaking

[@TheGoonSquadd]

Facts. Best cameraman west of the Mississippi

[@dayzexpert8875]

Longest fukin comment ever, but yeah

[@dayzexpert8875]

@Epic Rhino Films i dunno, i think

[@skylxrk6597]

@Epic Rhino Films damn bro you just wrote a whole essay 😂

[@skylxrk6597]

@Epic Rhino Films hell nah I might read it tonight 😂

[@stephens5955]

Nobody takes 17 G's without blacking out, regardless of how young you are. However, testing as he said "unproven" tech at an airshow stuffed with people is inexcusable.

[@GaryCameron]

Even if he was in perfect shape with a military fighter jet G suit he wouldn't stay conscious at 17Gs.

[@6h471]

Pilot aside, the idea that a P51 could withstand 17g's, even momentarily, is laughable.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@timhallas4275 - That's stock. According to the NTSB report the shortened wingspan and tailplane allowed it to withstand greater g loads it also wasn't flying with a wartime fuel load or any armament big difference in weight

[@timhallas4275]

@@PabloGonzalez-hv3td Decreasing any or all of the lift and control surfaces would have the effect of lowering the maximum G-force possible. A plane doesn't turn harder on less wing. This is common sense. The modifications done to THIS plane were to reduce drag and overall weight in order to get more speed. That worked, and it also decreased the planes ability to make a tight turn... that means it made LESS Gs not more in a turn. This plane crashed because it wasn't capable of turning and maintaining lift . It fell like a rock.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@timhallas4275 - Aircraft certainly turn better on less wingspan it's why aerobatic J3 Cubs and Taylorcrafts have clipped wings this modification isn't anything new variants of the Spitfire also had factory clipped wings to increase roll rate and maneuverability it's the same concept behind tightrope walkers holding out gigantic poles and not ski poles the longer poles require more torque to rotate. The GG had its ailerons shortened from nearly 7ft to 3ft per wing presumably because any longer and the aircraft was now TOO maneuverable and twitchy with the shortened wingspan he wasn't going for aerobatic capabilities necessitating full span ailerons or combat maneuverability and regardless, the sudden nose up deflection of the elevator at race speed is what caused the high g pitch up and the shortened wings and tail plane - which produced less leverage at higher g loads by virtue of their length - is why it did not break up. While the clipped wings could certainly affect lift at lower speeds (less weight would counteract this) at race speeds this couldn't possibly have been an issue there wasn't a loss of lift or the aircraft wouldn't have pitched UP initially when the trim tab broke

[@TheFlightSimDeck]

My god that first angle really puts it into perspective how fast and violent the crash was.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

Approximately 525-530 mph.

[@astudentpilotlife]

Then imagine what it is like during the WW2.

[@MisterIvyMike]

My grandmother was in the last days of WW2 helpmaid on an german antiaircraftgun, she was at this time 16 or 17 years old, and she tells me long time ago about the airraids at the trainstation they have to protect against Mustangs, Thunderbolt´s and Lightning´s. I think we can not imagine what that was like!

[@derekwall200]

the only merciful aspect of that crash is that the pilot didnt suffer. he was supposedly unconscious on impact. a crash at that speed they dont bother to count body parts

[@adksmsjudn34321]

That is SHOCKING

[@lw216316]

"He pulls up".......after a reported 17Gs...?....I don't think so ....he surely was unconscious ...

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+lw216316 Loss of the the trim tab would cause the plane to pull up from aerodynamic forces. That's why the trim is being used, so that the pilot does not have to work hard on the controls to keep the plane level at race speeds. The stick forces in the accident would have been too fast and too hard for the pilot to fight. The 17Gs were vertical, along with deceleration Gs (the plane slowed down from about 500+ mph to 375 mph in a short time in the pullup.) Yes the pilot passed out from that. Not an age issue, just beyond what the human body can take.

[@lw216316]

@Epic Rhino Films did you know a mechanic named Bob Hope? (yes, his real name) who worked on Rare Bear ?

[@amjan]

I don't think the 74 year old guy could withstand 5 Gs to be honest. Firstly, the old age. Secondly, I don't think he was in a strict physical regimen to be top fit for that particular age to begin with.

[@greaseaddiktz3217]

Yea he was

[@TonySeagle]

"The systems aren't proven yet. We think they're gonna be okay." Jerk.

[@VeganRashad]

AD Seagle idiot

[@claytonbrown7120]

Trumptard 🚨

[@tiftonholt3817]

@@claytonbrown7120 What?

[@robertplant9694]

Clayton Brown shut up child.

[@claytonbrown7120]

Robert Plant Racist trumptard ⬆️

[@Stephen2846]

To all the commentators who have never flown an aircraft or have read an NTSB Report: 1) The pilot lied on his paperwork and stated he was 59, not 74. 2) The plane had multiple modifications that required testing, but the testing was not performed. Therefore the plane was not certified to fly. 3) Old parts were used in the sections of the plane that failed. A guy will put $500,000.00 into an engine, but will not replace a worn out $4.00 lock-nut. That's stupidity. 4) Multiple control surfaces on the air-frame were cut down to eliminate weight; that also eliminates control. 5) The P-51 was flying much faster than it was designed to. Nothing was down to strengthen the plane, only lighten it. 6) Had the pilot not suffered G-force blackout he could have still flown that plane even with a damaged "elevator/pitch control" surface. 7) It was the rapid pitch up at 500 plus mph that caused him to black out. 8) This crash was the direct result of pilot/mechanic induced failure due to improper use of worn components and unapproved modifications to the aircraft!

[@johnfranklin4038]

3: Suicidal... and took a lot of people with him... I know US people sue too much but that would be a slam dunk. Plus suing the organizers since they obviously did not inspect the planes beforehand or they would have noticed the modifications. These types of "sports" should NOT have specators right next to the "track". It's just begging for disasters to happen. VR has come a long way. Have the spectators in air conditioned comfort MILES away and let them choose to watch from a drone camera or even wingtip cameras on the planes NOT watch where the damn planes can land on your head...

[@johnfranklin4038]

simpsonfan13 accidents are one thing, someone cutting corners and not informing the body governing the air show WHICH HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO is another... would you want to go to a nascar race if they didn't have those safety walls and nets between the course and you, your wife and your children? if so, you're insane and need help

[@88mike42]

@Stephen2846...Many pilots lose that healthy fear/respect the older and "more experienced" they become. I once knew a guy who flew charters and he didn't exercise the prop or do a mag check because he thought it upset the passengers to hear the engine lose RPM, or the prop making that funny dragging noise. What an idiot he was. Guess that's why there are old pilots and bold pilots...but no that many old bold pilots.

[@Red-Magic]

Your 5 is flimsy. It was rebuilt to be a racing machine. Therefore weight had to be cut off.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

simpsonfan13 Not really. Ask any Tort lawyer and they'll tell you the public has an expectation of safety if not specifically warned of hazards that may lead to injury of death. And certainly placing the spectator gallery under the race course does expose their paying guests to such hazards. You take a seat you paid for... you don't really have a choice but to put yourself in a danger zone. By your line of thinking, that crowd would be less than half the size. How do you think that would sit with organizers? It would sit well. In a couple of years there'd be no race

[@EvtheNev]

The hell is a safety barrier gonna do if a plane is coming at you at 500mph...

[@Chrismasterski]

its there to stop shrapnel and debris if something happens outside of the barrier

[@everythinggaming7938]

reduce shrapnel deaths and injuries

[@MikeJones-rk1un]

Wondering why people wouldn't be safer INSIDE the loop where a crash or debris would fly away from them.

[@lubu4u312]

Its just a giant cage.

[@Hackanhacker]

lol its not to stop a plane xD But debris.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

Jim Leeward should have never been flying in this race at his age. He was very careless with the maintenance of his planes let alone modifications. Yes, I knew Jim Leeward. Leeward air ranch contacted my father who had a radiator shop about fixing the radiator in his "Galloping Ghost" years ago. The radiator was completely rotted out and needed a new core. Of course, it is a specialty item and was expensive to replace. But a drop in the bucket to a multi millionaire like Leeward. He told my father to "fill it up with stop leak. As long as it will hold up long enough for one race". My dad refused to fill it with stop leak because he could'nt guarantee it would hold long enough to take off with and could obviously overheat the engine and cause engine failure. Leeward got pissed and did it himself. Guess what? It overheated at the race, luckily before he even took off and froze the engine which wound up costing him way more in engine repairs than if he would have replaced the radiator core. Because of Jim Leewards cocky, didn't give a shit attitude about safety, who knows how many other mods or simple maintenance issues he ignored. And because of him, 10 innocent spectators were killed. Absolutely tragic!

[@orangejoe204]

TheAxe4Ever Thank Christ somebody is calling this one correctly instead of simply saying "If you go to an air race, you should expect to get killed. It's not the race's fault." I do agree there's risk you assume. But you also assume that the pilots and the airframes are going to be held to a minimum reasonable standard. The fact that his octegenarian Galloping Frankenstein was allowed to be flown with long-expired parts was where the system failed. This is pure bush-league, dirt-track shit. Ensure your planes are airworthy with those millions of dollars and then you don't have to defend your sport when one of your racers kills themselves and a bunch of fans negligently. Zero sympathy for Reno Air Races, they need to suffer financially for this.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

+TheAxe4Ever I can't thumbs up this one enough. Once I read the NTSB report I said to myself "good god this idiot yuppie playboy didn't know day one shit about aircraft maintenance!" He did't even have lock wire on the fasteners FFS! I bet he just slapped a bolt he got from Home Depot in there instead of a properly spec'ed part! Probably put some locktite on there and said "there that outta do her!"

[@vidproject]

+TheAxe4Ever radiator core.... hmmm LOL ok.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

vidproject What part of radiator core don't you understand? Guess you've never worked on radiators before.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

I mean, I wish there was 1/1000th the amount of self restraint and enforced regulation on this guy's behavior that is put on auto motorsport enthusiasts such as myself. I've scrapped a truck frame because i KNEW it was going to be unsafe as a vehicle put back on the road. I took a loss on it. Compare it to this asshole -- look what he did --- no stops pulled on his express ego trip!!!!

[@southernbreeze3278]

The plane crashed because one time use locking nuts were re-used. TSB Final Report

...sounds like he had a history of penny pinching.

[@sunday_funday7765]

@Epic Rhino Films Tsunami was not a p-51.

[@stevegiboney4493]

@Epic Rhino Films , keep pasting... you are not a pilot, it’s obvious. Your “theory” is bunk.your “decapitation “ theory is not part of any faa or Ntsb report. Stay off the bottle.

[@831BeachBum]

What's interesting to me is there's been no mention of the pre-race inspection done by the Air Race group Inspectors. They are licensed mechanics that inspect all the airplanes prior to any flying. The red fiber nylon locknut used on the Ghost I had read had been original. According to FAA regs that nut attaching the the trim tab actuator rod to trim tab should have been a castellated nut that uses a cotter pin. No way that nut will come off. I think Inspectors missed it.

[@richlabombard6780]

@Epic Rhino Films You said it was a P51.

[@DjahAlanBinSueKu]

74 Grandpa facing 17 Gs... He was already sleeping way long ago.

[@titanproductions3628]

@Manny Darrow why tf should this be funny.

[@tonyp2632]

At his age he was probably dead before he hit the crowd.

[@SphereOfStreaming]

@@tonyp2632 that’s literally what he said lmao

[@FiveCentsPlease]

The 17g measurement was telemetry data directly from sensors on the plane, along with the readings showing the throttle was untouched during the accident. Photographic evidence on Page 25 of the NTSB Image Study shows the pilot unconscious and slumped forward to the right in the cockpit. The claims aren't made up.The NTSB states that the G-loading was "beyond human tolerance."

[@FiveCentsPlease]

@@TugIronChief Bob Hannah? He passed out when he lost a trim tab and his plane climbed straight up until it had passed 9000 feet. He regained consciousness face down with the control stick between his neck and shoulder, and he was able to regain control and land. Jimmy Leeward didn't die from the G-loads in the Galloping Ghost crash. He was unconscious and the plane nosed into the ground. The NTSB cause of death was blunt force injuries.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

@@TugIronChief Not sure what you mean. Jimmy Leeward was the only race pilot involved in this accident. There was no mid-air collision.

[@Gmon750]

I worked at the Reno Air Races every year for almost 15 years. I was there the day of that crash. The impact was so powerful that the entire tarmac shook and I felt far away from the distance. The Reno Air Race was never the same again.

[@blitzenJunior]

is that rly true..

[@bradsanders6954]

I was there. Ive never seen a plane hit the ground anything like that and not be an instant fire. 500 mph into the ground.

[@427SuperSnake1]

People think he managed to keep it out of the stands. That's hilarious considering he was unconscious!!!!!!!!

[@Admiralty86]

@Epic Rhino Films boy, pilots sure love to TALK AND TALK.

[@texasflapjackflapjack5657]

@@Admiralty86 lmao fr

[@usnationalist8150]

Admiralty86: Right, what chapter u on? I got through the first two tonight but really not feeling the book he wrote 😂

[@pogmothoin1655]

@Epic Rhino Films You missed the bit out about the yeast infection and your cat's name.

[@stevegiboney4493]

@Epic Rhino Films , except the same thing happened to voodoo with Bob Hannah. The bolts that held the trim tab in place had locknuts that should have been replaced. It was not the mods that caused this to happen.

[@PzKpfw04]

"Eleven people died, including the pilot." Thanks for the clarification. I might have thought he survived.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

It's just clarifying that it wasn't 11 spectators

[@crazyleyland5106]

An impact at that speed will always be unsurvivable. Here in Britain we had an airshow tragedy in 2015 where a vintage Hawker Hunter crashed when the pilot blacked out doing a loop the loop, killing 11 people who were watching from outside the airfield. The plane skidded along at high speed and the pilot was flung out (not using the ejector seat) and thanks to our NHS and modern trauma care, he survived. But this incident has spoiled UK airshows since, as the use of vintage jets is now very restricted, and there are presently no Hunters, one of our finest old jet fighters, because of this terrible crash.

[@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM]

@Beentga757 : Ha if we ever make it through this year. It'll something to celebrate.

[@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM]

@Beentga757 : HAHA Class. Hmm Seriously though, not a bad idea.

[@IP0Monsturd]

My High School football coach would of told the pilot “Walk it off and don’t be a pussy”

[@joneslego3645]

i thought he said "i love when people die" at 0:08 , scared me for a bit

[@ariesrenae4163]

Now I can't unhear it!

[@Tom-ok2rh]

He clearly says “eleven people died”

[@doritos5447]

Tom 54 🤡

[@futurepilot6749]

He clearly says.. eleven people died

[@futurepilot6749]

Or a lot of people died

[@Medic_312]

"The systems aren't proven yet, we think they will be ok" That's the thinking that cost 11 lives and 64 injuries. I hope he is thriving in hell for his lies Was no accident

[@cortster12]

He had a one-way ticket to nonexistence, if that helps any.

[@96alpha46]

First of all that video was filmed well before the incident you are required to prove the aircraft before you can even qualify. Also it is not a criminal matter, the lock nut securing the trim tab was faulty neither the crew nor leeward knew about it or to my understanding could have known about it.

[@iconiaman]

@@cortster12 we will exist for eternity.....just where is the question.

[@billd8878]

@Bob Loblaw what a stupid comment! You don't have to listen to any of this at all.if you think this is a stupid hobby then don't pay any attention to it.nobody forces people to go watch air race shows.this was just an unfortunate accident.

[@gogogeedus]

@Bob Loblaw they can fix cars, because cars cant fall out of the sky. and we can walk but we cant fly, no matter how hard we flap our arms.

[@trobi81]

He was unconscious after enduring a 17G turn so it wasn't possible for him to avoid the crowd. This happened at over 400 miles per hour.

[@mjisurdad]

No shit. It says that in the video.

[@mylanmiller9656]

It was over 500 MPH he had just blew by Rare Bear like his engine was shut off.

[@mattj.gilbertpadilla9404]

The Pilot was an idiot. If your system doesn't prove that it's qualified to fly don't fly it. As well, if a plane is malfunctioning, your job is to get the plane away from spectators even if you realize it miles ahead.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Matt J. Gilbert Padilla Put the blame on the person(s) who assembled the trim tab mechanism and decided to reuse the old nuts and bolts instead of buying new ones that would hold. Regarding the accident, it was too quick for a pilot to react and loss of the trim control would have slammed the control stick backwards with a force too strong for a pilot to overcome, per the NTSB report.

[@leechang5050]

+FiveCentsPlease He was 74 and racing planes... Selfish old coot.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

***** The trim tab and suspected components were recovered and are detailed in the Materials Laboratory Report from the NTSB. That analysis correlated with the time stamped photo study showing the trim tab control horns moving beyond the normal range of travel allowed the NTSB to conclude that the trim tab control linkages failed first followed by flutter and separation of the trim tab after loss of control. dms.ntsb.gov/public/51500-51999/51746/502814.pdf

[@FiveCentsPlease]

***** They found evidence (based on examining the anti-corrosion coatings) that fatigue cracks were present in some of the attachment screws prior to the accident race, along with old paint from when the plane flew years ago, meaning that the hardware had never been replaced. The NTSB also described the self-locking feature of the locknuts as "essentially nonexistent" and could be removed with fingers, which I interpret as the hardware was beyond service life and had reduced effectiveness. Inspection and newer hardware is now required for all P-51 operators. I interpreted the NTSB conclusions to mean that the old hardware was not safe to use even on a good flying day.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

+tyler t He didn't even have lock wire on there. Day one aircraft maintanence stuff. I'd say he just slapped a random Home Depot bolt in there and called it a day.

[@sorosaltgaming]

1:47 Death was literaly staring them in the eye

[@nanomage]

"improved safety including improved G force training for pilots." How exactly would that training have influenced this crash, a 22 year old fighter pilot in a G-suit would have blacked out from 17 G's.

[@Yumbled]

probably training to avoid hitting 17 Gs lol

[@EnglertRacing96]

@@Yumbled well, the trim tab unexpectedly came loose so... he wasn't trying to pull 17g

[@Yumbled]

@@EnglertRacing96 your mom

[@EnglertRacing96]

@@Yumbled haaaa good one.

[@Yumbled]

@@EnglertRacing96 ha ha gotemmmmm

[@orangejoe204]

Most of the events at the Reno Air Races are actually pretty safe (as air races go). It's the Unlimited class (the only such class remaining in the world) that is the really dangerous one. It's dangerous for several reasons, including the extreme speeds and the fact that it's entirely populated by millionaire playboys, but the reason Jimmy Leeward killed himself and all those people wasn't speed: it was the ancient P-51 Mustangs virtually every single Unlimited racer flies. The rules for Unlimited class say you can have any mods you want, so long as the plane's piston-driven and has a propeller. The fastest mass-produced piston-driven prop plane ever was the P-51 Mustang, which is why it's basically all they fly. Problem is that every single Mustang in the world is at least 60 years old, and in order to be registered as a Mustang it MUST have a certain portion of original parts. Leeward got killed because he allowed original 60+ year old parts to be used in a plane he'd turned into a hot rod well beyond it's intended lifespan and design safety limits. It'd be like taking an original Model T and putting a V8 in it and wondering why you snapped the drive shaft. Jimmy Leeward was a 74 year old multi-millionaire playboy who got rich doing Ponzi schemes in the real estate industry all while pretending he was Howard Hughes. That hot rod he flew into the ground was made from $600,000 in performance parts and was held together with spit and bailing wire. He clearly didn't care at all about his own life, but what a shame he had to take others with him.

[@pewpscoop]

+Alex Tocqueville im sure he would have rebuilt the crucial parts.....

[@Derek-b8q]

+Alex Tocqueville Most, ? Yet this guy killed people. Hard to justify a stupid race.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

Most of these planes have been rebuilt many times over and type-certified new parts are available. You can build a most of Mustang with new parts today. The race engines are specially built above original specs, with beefed-up crank journals, etc. The tragedy is that one 60-year-old original locknut is the one part that failed, when modern nuts were already available. One old part that they decided to re-use. The FAA's response was that all flying examples were required to inspect and replace those flight control parts with new ones ASAP. However, the Experimental category allows restricted flight for airplanes that do NOT meet the original type specifications, i.e. they are highly modified or new designs. That gives a lot of wiggle-room for unproven modifications. The race team was faulted for not reporting all of the modifications to the FAA and not performing enough flight testing before the race.

[@sunday_funday7765]

You are something else I tell ya.

[@sK3LeTvM1]

A race pilot should not be 74-year old either. I don't think it's allowed in F1 racing either. Crazy Americans...

[@Ken-ks7wz]

I am returning to watch the race for the first time since 2011. Yes, the bolts should have been replaced, but I have watched P-51s (plural) at higher speeds than this coming out of a dive at transonic speed with the CAF. Tail flutter due to transonic turbulence over the tail surface caused the trim tab to break loose sending Jimmy into a steep climb. This is not the first time it has happened, but I pray it is the last. I still contend that all unlimiteds that can exceed 500mph in level flight should be retrofitted with a flying tail, as was done with the F-86 in Korea to fix the same problem. No, I'm not an expert, but know which experts to listen to. BTW, Jimmy did not turn that plane at the last second. That plane changed its angle on its own before impact. That is the only evidence that we have. From my angle in the stands, it went slightly behind the stands at its apex.

[@simpsonfan13]

51's can go trans-sonic in a dive? where can i look this up? I'm genuinely curious.

[@Rant_Drive]

"No, I'm not an expert, but know which experts to listen to" the idiocy of that statement is staggering.

[@yogibeer9319]

“We think it will be ok.” I’m no expert on aircraft but that sounds like a sketchy thing to say about modifying an aircraft

[@markwilliams2620]

"Below 2,000 feet, a Mustang will kill you". -Some old guy who flew Mustangs for 40 years quoted in a 1991 airplane magazine I read while waiting in line.

[@markwilliams2620]

The article wasn't a comment on the Reno Races. It was from an experienced Mustang pilot who was commenting on the then recent fatal crash of a Mustang by a wealthy owner who had just purchased the aircraft.

[@MichaelMordor]

Yes, the pilot caused the deaths but what about the organizers letting a 74 year old fly in these shows

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ Michael Mordor The FAA says who can fly with yearly medical exams. A much younger pilot would not have been able to save this plane because it was a violent loss of control.

[@kevochris6703]

@@FiveCentsPlease yeah but a much younger pilot wouldn't have Alzheimers and make such a stupid decision to even fly that plane or even do what modifications that this idiot did.

[@zacharyrobbins7242]

I remember this like it happened yesterday. Being in the Crowd seated 20 feet away from the impact zone really frightening. However still attending every year.

[@vidproject]

+Zachary Robbins 20' away I bet you have some great pictures or video. where can we see it?

[@AdamsBrew78]

How was there no fire/explosion?

[@thehorsecockexpress1068]

@@AdamsBrew78 they were racing so likely had very little fuel for weight

[@AdamsBrew78]

@@thehorsecockexpress1068 they definitely had enough fuel for an explosion. After my comment, I looked it up and it was a widely discussed mystery to those investigating the crash. There was unlit fuel all over the crash area and on the spectators.

[@neilhobson3624]

Gosh! You were lucky Zachary. I bet the noise was huge 😀 🇬🇧.

[@borninjordan7448]

As a pilot in training. I am saddened by the stupidity of people who have a prejudice against flying. They would rather shit on other people's dreams. All the other race pilots landed A-OK. This guy died because he did something stupid to his airplane. The other SMART pilots were unharmed. And humans can survive as much as 25 Gs.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

That depends on the direction and duration of the G loading. The human body reacts differently to vertical and horizontal G-loading. A few milliseconds of high G is tolerable while longer periods can cause blackouts or damage to the body.

[@Lee-70ish]

maybe but 74 was way too old to be pushing high G's this guy had more money than common sense

[@FiveCentsPlease]

***** Bob Hannah was around 40 yrs old when Voodoo lost a trim tab and he blacked out in a similar manner. He was lucky that his plane continued vertical and didn't nose over, and he woke up face down in the cockpit with his hands touching the floor and was able to land. And I believe he quit racing after that. Point being that the NTSB stated that the forces involved were beyond human tolerance for any pilot, and NASA and the USAF studied it and said that even a G-suit would not have made a difference.

[@geoh7777]

Decades ago, I was at the SCCA sports car races at Santa Barbara airport. The last thing on my mind was danger from airplanes. During the pause between two races, I was watching a single engine aircraft flying over the airport at around 1000-2000 feet when suddenly it started leaving a thick, black trail of smoke and the prop stopped rotating. It immediately made a turn toward my direction and was dropping like a rock. I didn't know which direction to run, so just stood there as it continued its trajectory in my direction. Then, it snapped a turn to the left and glided to a perfect landing on the back straightaway. We learned later when they got the pilot onto the PA system to explain what had happened. The pilot had never lost control when the engine "blew a jug" (had a cylinder fail on a big radial engine), but it impressed me just how helpless a person can be when an airplane fails to do as expected. .

[@MrSunrise-]

Google "Gimli Glider" for autosport/aircraft giggles.

[@Toxic2T]

@@MrSunrise- Thanks

[@KrosanBeast315]

0:49 "The systems aren't proven yet..." That was a BAD SIGN.

[@frankxu2321]

530mph.... That even faster than a 787 facing head wind! What a crazy modification.

[@wesleywlee]

The Reno Air Races have been going on for decades. This was the first and only crash that involved spectators. My Uncle and Father have been involved with the races my whole life, we were there that day. It was tragic.

[@IceyGuy]

Imagine your last moment, seeing a plane come at you like that.

[@gladstream8262]

My grandparent died like that in the USS Intrepid during a massive kamikaze attack back in the 40’s

[@Ferreal92]

"A lot of people died INCLUDING THE PILOT." Gee, ya think?

[@cbeak8283]

his air ranch Leeward air ranch is only 15 miles from where i live in Ocala, Florida. I did some surveying for his expansion of New runways about 20 years ago.

[@thebigchip1711]

“We think it is going to be ok.” Famous last words

[@Howrider65]

Yeah like putting a 427 in an old Volkswagen beetle then going 150 with it...Just a stupid show off...

[@orangejoe204]

+Howard B Basically. Those P51s are 60+ year old Frankenstein monsters. No reason at all they should be flying, except they're a status symbol for the millionaires who do the Unlimited race. The rest of the races are much more reasonable.

[@simpsonfan13]

Them being old has shit to do with this. A PROPERLY maintained and inspected plane can fly safely regardless of age. Fuck, the B-52's have been completely rebuilt multiple times since they rolled off the line and are projected to be retired at nearly 100 years of service.

[@Sugarsail1]

they said the same when Indy started

[@SFbayArea94121]

Sugarsail1 they said the same when my ex’s mama started. Now she’s all old, washed up and worn out with no chance for recovery or a fixer upping

[@glennfalzo3718]

H B:Carl Shelby put a 427 in a British car he re-named "Cobra"! If you look at any "RESPECTED" owner of a P51 either for just flying, like Kirmit Weeks, or Jack Roush, or racing like Steve Hinton, they go over the aircraft with a "Fine Tooth Comb" to be sure all is ok, if parts need to be replaced, they replace them, if they can't find the part, they make them from original blue prints! I don't believe ANYONE, other then this IDIOT, would put pilot OR spectators in danger of death or injury! I don't for the life of me understand why the RENO Racing Board DIDN'T require he submit ALL paperwork confirming ALL work, Testing, AND FAA certification BEFORE allowing him to register his aircraft to race!

[@keithdraycott]

It's always sad whenever there's any loss of life at an airshow event. But, I've always though that air racing is a total waste of irreplaceable warbirds

[@crashstitches79]

Especially now with the proliferation of replicas like T-51's, but millionaires are gonna do millionaire stuff.

[@RADIOACTIVEBUNY]

2:09 That's a Huey. They had the guy who brought it out use it as a medivac helicopter.

[@StropSharp]

I seen an actual full size P-51 Mustang do a high speed low pass at our 400 ft RC field and it literally looked like 4 to 5 snap shots as it went by at 400 mph our eyes couldn't keep up...Its amazing this camera guy was able to catch all of that.

[@crashburn3292]

You seen that?

[@StropSharp]

@@crashburn3292 yes when I was into RC our club hired a guy who owned a P-51 and they did a raffle for a ride and he and the winner did a high speed pass about 1 foot off the runway. All the pilot wanted for payment was a case of beer.

[@type0negative136]

Wow! So cute and lovely scenario! Please do it again some other time. Bravo!!! Clap clap!!

[@phlodel]

The P51D was a compromised design to start with. WWII Military pilots were directed to limit dive speed because the tail structure could be overloaded and fail at high speed. The speed this aircraft was flying during the race was beyond the limit imposed for combat.

[@bigtime9597]

Actually, it failed because Jim shortened the control surfaces and failed other checks. Pilot does not equate to being able to put your plane together. That's a mechanic or engineer's job.

[@Roger2465]

It never failed in ww2 it was just very hard to pull out of a dive at high speed with it. This idiot used one time use nuts and bolts

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@bigtime9597 - Shortening the control surfaces did not contribute to the accident this is a standard modification that goes along with shortening the wingspan and tail plane. If the control surfaces remain their original length the aircraft becomes too responsive and twitchy

[@bigtime9597]

@@PabloGonzalez-hv3td If you watched the whole video, they said the control surfaces were shortened TOO MUCH, and the changes were never registered.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@bigtime9597 - That was not said at all and accurately speaking the aircraft wasn't modified too much it was modified improperly without any testing and those modifications weren't disclosed to the FAA which was a violation of its airworthiness certificate but the physical length of the control surfaces did not contribute in any way. The accident was caused by an improperly secured left elevator trim tab which broke loose instantly ceasing to produce the required nose down trim force allowing the elevator to deflect in the opposite direction it was trimmed for hence the violent pitch up

[@TheVFXbyArt]

“Damn regulations, I thought this was america, a free country” This is the result of that mindset

[@pepperwood8811]

It must be cool to think that complex issues are so cut and dry

[@martinsv9183]

Just as the collapse of whole Russia and Eastern Europe was the result of the opposite mindset. Choose wisely :)

[@konanoobiemaster]

stupid, old rich men think they're entitled to fly around antique death traps and pretend like it's still 1944

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

@@pepperwood8811 It wasn't that complex the pilot just really didn't care. Reusing 5 dollar single use locknuts on a multi million dollar plane and ignoring testing requirements.

[@pepperwood8811]

@@PabloGonzalez-hv3td I wasn't calling the actions of the pilot complex, I was referring to theVFXbyArts comment where he thinks that this tragedy is the result of people not being regulated enough by the government.

[@daveblevins3322]

17 G's. "C'mon man". "You know, the Thing" !!! The thing comes apart at 17 x gravity !

[@glennroberts461]

Moving the stands back isn't going to do squat when an elevator tab comes off at random. Spectators at any racing event in any type of vehicle take their chances.

[@youdontknowme08001]

Well a part of the plane broke off, does the pilot deal with the mechanics too ?

[@rayher6918]

The cause Was OLD NUTS 🔧🔩✈

[@americanmonster8342]

Precisely.

[@gogogeedus]

yes he was both!

[@Greatlakeskyle.]

People died my guy

[@squatchman8507]

R/cursedcomments

[@Rob1972Gem]

Very sad i have seen some comments about old planes at air races it not the planes it very sad to say a 74 year old man should never be fly in a bloody air race . Air racing is great but it not a sport were 74 year old reactions and i have read that he had altered the plane IE. over striped down to below minimum tolerances the NTSB report was very critical of the modifications made to the aircraft very sad day

[@MrToddtimmons]

A bag of bones that's all he was Killed the innocent

[@RetrocarStyle]

imagine feeling the impact and shock wave when that plane hit the ground......

[@roquefortfiles]

530 mph in a prop plane? And 9/11 nuts say United 175 couldn't fly at 560 mph coming out of a 10,000 ft/ min dive? They have got to be kidding.

[@roquefortfiles]

@@drdefecation I think the argument is that it can't do this speed at sea level. Which is just a joke as the plane is ridiculously easy to over speed. And considering the fact that its final descent was 10,000/ min nearly full powered descent. And they're surprised it was going 560mph? I am surprised it wasn't going faster.

[@EclipsedMoon666]

The impact was very harsh, it made me fall off the bleaches and one of my ears were bleeding from the loud noise right before it crashed.

[@freedomisntfree5573]

@@EclipsedMoon666my friend was in the suite where the plane hit. He was there with a guy who worked on the governors on the props. They kept him on life support until his kids got there to say goodbye. Miss that guy

[@whereami2477]

@@EclipsedMoon666 Jesus. Imagine being one of those directly hit by the plane. Unimaginable

[@jasntrace1971]

No scrutineering before the race?

[@Nobody-dc8dp]

Does the race route go over the spectators?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+RC/Skater No it does not. After the accident, the closest turning marker was moved farther from the spectator area.

[@millsrd100]

My wife and I had almost this same view but we were probably 30-40 feet to the right of this camera angle and a couple of rows lower down. By the time I heard the crowd react and looked up, all I could see was the white bottom of the plane. A person likes to think that the self-preservation instinct would kick in and cause one to MOVE...but there was no time. Not sure if Jimmy was still awake to pull it up a little but if he was, I thank him. Had the plane continued on a straight path, the death toll resulting from a direct hit on the packed grandstand would have been much higher...including us. Still think about the survivors and family of the dead a lot. Blessings to them.

[@dustyflair]

FUCK THAT GUY!!!!

[@VioletSerenade]

wow!

[@beenaplumber8379]

He was out at the time. A steep, super-fast dive will cause the plane to pull up if it had previously been flying slower (i.e., trimmed at lower speed), which would look as if the pilot was pulling it up. Higher speed raises the nose. That is, as long as the pilot wasn't passed out over the stick.

[@GaudetteProductions1]

Beena Plumber Due to the trim tab failure not even a world champion strongman could have pulled the stick enough to get out of the dive.

[@beenaplumber8379]

​@@GaudetteProductions1 Crikey, I forgot about the trim tab, but the effect is the same. Since the plane was trimmed for high speed, the trim tab was holding it nose-down. With loss of the trim tab, the nose-down force was lost (the elevator came up), and the plane shot up. When it hit its maximum altitude and stalled, it came straight down, but without the trim tab holding the nose down, the nose would have come back up a bit as it reached a higher speed. And as I said, that would look as if the pilot was pulling up. I didn't say he was pulling up or that it would have had an effect. Was referring to appearances.

[@averagekobenienjoyer7639]

Imagine how sad it must’ve been for the people that died or had family members there jus enjoying the air show and then it crashes into them😓

[@usnationalist8150]

That’s a shame, RIP to all who lost lives.

[@raymondchapman5990]

So, if he was flying straight would it not have lost control like it did ? He was in a turn when the trim tab come off.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ Raymond Chapman The trim helps keep the plane stable and reduce the forces on the control stick. When the trim began to fail the plane was like a rubber band with the forces at 500 mph. Not much time for the pilot to react before he blacked out from the loads.

[@scottfrost8956]

Why was there no fuel explosion? Was the plane virtually empty on fuel?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ Scott Frost The plane had 150 gallons of water for the cooling system. So there was a huge cloud of water and fuel which thankfully did not explode.

[@boldlionpro2814]

So a 74 year old was flying a custom vintage sports plane? What could go wrong 😑. I’m sorry for the loss of life and the horrific experience endured by those dear people. Father give them peace, hope and healing through this time, in Jesus name Amen

[@iglooproductions]

Stupid pilot. Probably didn't have his seatbelt on. He could have lived.

[@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM]

@ManuxMC :-/ Fucking hell mate. Put ya Tampon back in.

[@dieselscience]

No matter how many modifications you make VNE is called VNE for a reason....."Velocity Never to Exceed."

[@irgski]

Are these planes considered "experimental" aircraft? If so, do they require any sort of FAA certification.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+irgski "Experimental" gives a lot of room to modify. But they must satisfy minimum flight tests and have restricted flight. A new aircraft design would also be "experimental" for its first flight.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Yes but experimental is a broad category an aircraft can be built without deviating from any known design convention and still qualify as "experimental"

[@STEVE-xv8gg]

Was there body parts

[@wildcraftone]

17g's is not "lethal." We did G force testing in the 50's. Look up John Stapp. He pulled 46.2G's. What does kill you is sustained G's of 10+ for more than a few minutes.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Trevor Kincy Hitting the ground was the lethal part. Unrecoverable at that altitude with a pilot passed out from Gs.

[@styles2000bc]

17g's was enough to render the pilot unconscious and tear the plane apart-that's pretty lethal !

[@jasonfuller8219]

I remember that day seeing the helicopters that were in the show bringing in wounded people to Renown Medical Center across the street from my apartment building. Sad that was in Reno

[@theloo4136]

Oh the pilot died? Gee wiz

[@midgie4410]

Lol

[@N0bull]

1:39 that doesn’t look like a P51 Mustang anymore, like what was stated it’s been heavily modified.

[@44hawk28]

To be more precise, it was failure of the trim tab on the elevator that caused that crash. That failure causes the exact same accident in completely unmodified aircraft in the same situation. it was until after the failure of the trim tab the aircraft experience the 17g pitch up and roll over.

[@nickq4398]

Me When I test new keybinds in War Thunder:

[@lukehindle4680]

come on dude. people died. you cant joke about that.

[@bozo5982]

Luke Hindle Look at how much ppl died from coronavirus and still there’s a bunch of memes. Get used to it mate.

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Wolf Blood876 gaming is GAY.

[@bozo5982]

Ronald Tartaglia no

[@jojomj]

@@ronaldtartaglia4459 no

[@hisvorpalsword]

I love how people call it a miracle when they almost die. Especially when the people right next to them died horrifically.

[@aicerg]

Exactly, like it was a miracle to you and your family, but what about the other people? A bit disrespectful to say such idiocy.

[@UBrickIFix]

Yes. God was with them but not the other people that day I guess. Lol

[@luftwaffle3766]

@@aicerg still a miracle tho

[@vermin1970]

@ david, perhaps you should watch the whole NTSB hearing, then understand how low on facts you are.Yes, the elevator trim tab broke off, but that should never happen on a properly maintained, un-modified aircraft. The NTSB did their homework on this one. What caused the elevator trim tab to break off? it was oscillating badly, so bad, that it ended up severely bending the linkages that controlled it, this happened as he crossed through 400 mph, a speed he HAD NOT been past in this aircraft yet, since he failed to do any testing on it after he modified it. the nuts on the hinges holding this trim tab on were so old, its possible they had been on there since WWII. The nylon on these nuts was so worn that they weren't locking the nuts at all and they could be removed with your fingers. The trim tabs had been modified, they CG was moved aft and weights were added to increase authority, these changes would have added to the oscillation problem.

[@vermin1970]

At the moment of failure, a bolt on the trim tab hinge with fatigue cracks that had rust in them, broke off. this was totally preventable if they had just changed some nuts and bolts. But wait, there's more.. They removed the lower air scoop from the aircraft to stream line it, they also changed the canopy. in one of the photos the NTSB had, you could see the tail section was warping and causing wrinkles in the sheet metal as he flew over. The canopy also had a gap in it that was not there on the ground, indicating airframe flex. This plane was a disaster waiting to happen. He failed to report any of the airframe mods he did to the FAA and didn't even do the 3 hours of testing they recommended for the cooling system change he did report. He was also untruthful about his age and the hours of flight his plane had on it on at least one form, where he reported his age as 59. Seems to me that he didn't much care if he killed himself, it sickens me that he took 10 people on the ground with him.

[@TheUberGopher]

Actually that plane exceeded 400 miles an hour when it was stock and brand new.

[@vermin1970]

Yeah, when it was new and maintained, not 80 years old with shoddy maintenance and half the airframe removed with daily overstress, clipped wings and rusty and stripped 80 year old trim tab bolts.. BTW, that 400 mph speed in the original was on WEP and likely in a dive.

[@MrToddtimmons]

Thank You

[@dustyflair]

Butch what about the plane pulling 17g's? would that rip the wings off?

[@t.sewell1513]

This may be a stupid question......but how was their no explosion and fire with this crash?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Dustin Punks Two possibilities: 1) The plane was carrying a large amount of water (150 gal) for the custom cooling system and that big cloud of mist is fuel and water or 2) Inside the fuel tank were foam baffles to prevent the fuel from sloshing and atomizing and this prevented a vapor explosion.

[@randomrose8367]

I was at this air show (we were super close to the the front row,where the crash happend) Right before the crash my sister INSISTED she needed to go pee and we were PISSED (because nobody wanted to go with her),but she wanted everyone to go with her,so my mom,me,and My mom's friend and her three kids took her to the bathroom.If she didn't ask to go to the bathroom we probably would've died or been badly injuried.I was seven and my sister was nine.When the crash happened we just left the bathroom and went in this old plane and then we heard the boom.A man rushed into the old plane and said quietly (noticing us children) "A plane has crashed,you must stay here until it's safe to leave." This next part is kind of a bluer.My mom carried me and we walked past it all.She held my head to her chest so that I wouldn't see anything.I looked up for a second because I heard sirens and I saw and ambulance.As we got in the car my Mom was bawling.As we drove home I remember seeing a few more things.I kid on his porch starring at us as we drove by from the site (he lived very close) and a teenage girl hugging (what I'm guessing) her boyfriend (bawling just like my Mom) at a park. When we got home my Dad was so happy to see us.He has never told me this,but he probably thought we died because of how close we where to the crash.(Also I thought I should note that bo one had a cell phone so we couldn't call him to tell him we were ok).My Dad kept watching the clip over and over yo see if we were killed. About an Hour later my mom's friend's brother came to ask us if she died.Of course she was ok,but the terror in his eyes was unseddleimg. My Mom said it was a merical my sister had to pee,she also says god made her have to pee so we could live and that I should thank him Now looking back on it thank god we are all ok,but rest in peace those we lost that day.

[@argentosebastian]

It's interesting to read your history and I was thinking how life is. Just a stupid decision (like going to pee) can change so many peoples life

[@dranelemakol]

"The systems aren't proven yet, we think they're gonna be okay..." *cue Curb Your Enthusiasm Theme*

[@jimczerwinski4951]

I'm 72 and hold a class 1medical . I've flown a Sea fury and a Spitfire Te- 384, T6, Boomerang and Fiat G59. I'm fitter than a lot of 40 year olds. That guy killed himself by pushing past the structural limits of his aircraft. Age had nothing to do with that crash. RIP to him.

[@tommypetraglia4688]

jim czerwinski Spoken like a true arrogant old fuck refusing to give up the keys to your car. It had everything to with his age. Everything deteriorates with age including common sense and good judgement never mind vision, reflexes, musculature and vascular ... Just because you're old doesn't give you the right to play with innocent and unsuspecting people's lives

[@MrToddtimmons]

Fuck Him he killed the innocent OLD FART Hey dumb ass how come he is not visible in the cockpit ....Hey stupid that old man is already blacked out Go Fuck Your Self

[@SeanD44]

Your old ass may be ready to check out but that doesn't mean you get to take other people with you. Sit your senile ass down somewhere

[@lordofthewoods]

@ Tommy: Meanwhile, teenagers die and kill others every day in car accidents where they are NOT doing 500 mph. Should they give up their keys, too?

[@smeghead666]

Have to agree with the old fart here bud, this guy become a dickhead when he hit 70. he was probably a dickhead at 20, still a dickhead through the 30s and kept on being a dickhead till it fucked him and several other people over.

[@pornsakpongthong1092]

My oncle, LeMongello Grundal, wast killed in this crash. Please never forget.

[@AlyaThomas0]

It was free?

[@MrJohnluvit]

Was this filmed through a Spoon ?

[@BOYTLeRoyJenkins]

No, just a cellphone camera, about 8 YEARS ago...

[@2902sam2902]

Not enough airspace, they have to fly over the public

[@carlosdanger4648]

"We think they"re gonna be ok" yea ok thanks guy

[@iflyc77]

I think that it is absolutely amazing, that on this 8 mile long course, the airplane hits the relative sliver of people there to watch.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Curt Lewis Reno has moved the pylons farther from the spectator area. But in this accident, the aircraft was essentially an unguided 500 mph missile and would have traveled until the pilot regained consciousness or it hit the ground.

[@paulmurphy42]

Can anyone tell me exactly how the engines on the Reno Racers have been modified compared to the original WW2 engines? I know that they've put special fuel in them and they suspend the normal operating limitations - but what other modifications have they made, exactly? Many thanks.

[@christsrevenge8030]

What could go wrong?

[@Virginia91]

When you risk your life and others modifying a plane just to win

[@andgate2000]

If they're gonna race planes.....race plane that are built/ designed to do 500mph......not modified to do 500 mph.

[@drainscholar]

andgate2000 Yeah............I dont think there gonna start trying to race jet planes in the unlimited class

[@orangejoe204]

Julius Nyangoro Then maybe the unlimited class should cease to exist. If it's unwilling to regulate itself I'm sure the FAA will be along to help. Leeward's P-51 was a repeatedly-unearthed Frankenstein monster where he had no idea how old the parts were, and some were so elderly they were decades beyond their lifespans. It was unsafe, insane and should have been prevented.

[@drainscholar]

***** Thanks for jinxing the unlimited class! 3 days after your comment the unlimited class ceased to exist and now they have added a jet class!

[@orangejoe204]

Julius Nyangoro There's already a jet class. Since 2004 it's been an Unlimited Jet class, actually. So the only remaining reason for Unlimited is that it's restricted to piston and propeller. I'll say it again. Unlimited is now not even the fastest, just the place for rich old assholes to show off their multi-million dollar warbird rebuilds. Waste of my time.

[@drainscholar]

***** Yeah I knew that I just wanted to add some humor to this......

[@jerrymarshall2095]

"The galloping ghost,"?I like the "the Darwin dart".

[@scottm7341]

Can anyone explain why there was no fireball? Was it near the end of the race, maybe minimum fuel?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Scott M Three possibilities: 1) Pure luck , 2) They had foam baffles inside the 150 gallon fuel tank to prevent such a fire, and 3) They had 150 gallons of water on board for the modified cooling system

[@JimmyEatDirt]

Fuel tanks are mostly in the wings. Chances are they disintegrated after the engine stopped sparking. No fireball because no running engine

[@FiveCentsPlease]

@@JimmyEatDirt Wing tanks were 150 gallons of fuel and 150 gallons of water/methanol for the custom boil-off cooling system for the engine. Plus there were baffles inside the fuel tank that are supposed to prevent misting of fuel in a less severe crash. So on impact there was a huge puff of water mist, oil, and some some fuel. Statements from spectators near the impact say that they were covered in fuel, oil, dirt, and water.

[@LeonidsStrapOn]

Could've been tennis balls in the exhaust manifold, it was common problem in Packard V-1650-9a Merlins.

[@AustinPetDetective]

Shocking someone of his age with so much responsibility, would act in such a manner ? Reckless and foolish.

[@grumpyoldman336]

At 74 he should barely be driving a car on the roads let alone flying a modified rig like this... thats appaulling

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Age had nothing to do with the crash

[@flashstrikewing]

ya know what my friend told me teh other day,"It must be rough to be rich ".

[@daanishabduldayanshaikh1861]

How many people died

[@LichaelMewis]

500mph to 0mph in and instant and into concrete. What possibly could remain to the pilots body and any pour spectators that were impacted?

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ Mike Lewis SELA The full NTSB report contains a medical section that says the pilot's body was recovered. There is nothing graphic in the document, just saying there was heavy trauma and not all tests were possible. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma from the accident.

[@LichaelMewis]

@@FiveCentsPlease wow seems the body would just fly apart.

[@mhoeltken]

I think this is a highly individual matter. I know many peolpe 70+, who'll beat most specimen of "gemeration internet" in physical and mental health hands down.

[@drnogueiras8783]

Malte Höltken I understand the sentiment, but at 74 everyone is suffering physiological degradation. Everyone.

[@mhoeltken]

@@drnogueiras8783 Yes, but to be unfit to fly, the starting point and rate of degradation are of significantly higher importance than mere age.

[@drnogueiras8783]

Malte Höltken oh boy. I’m way too tired, so I’m not trying to come across as rude or curt, but you’re kind of all over the place so I’m just going to leave it at this: you have guaranteed loss in cognitive and physical function at age 74. The human brain begins a steady decline far before that age... That’s just the reality of the human body. Coupled with the increased risk of other complications, flying in that capacity at that age is absurd and he shouldn’t have been doing it.

[@MongooseFreeRider]

Rest In Pieces Jimmy

[@helplure]

0:08 I heard him say: "I love when people die"

[@Trev-jz6yw]

The pilot should be held responsible and I hope the families of the people who died and all the other injured survivors got compensated for his negligence!!!

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+ Trev123 There were multiple lawsuits.

[@camptube7621]

The pilot saying he wasn’t sure is terrifying.

[@elpresti]

Natgeo: Mayday, Air Crash Investigation

[@PrimetimeNut]

Jesus Christ the pilot was almost as old as the airframe. A 75 y/o has no place in an air race.

[@PabloGonzalez-hv3td]

Age wasn't a factor it's not like he passed out from the routine g load

[@Mrbfgray]

That's exactly like saying: "NASCAR with modifications from factory stock car led to crash." Really???

[@Fedaykin24]

Those NASCAR still have to adhere to design and safety regulations then pass through scrutineering. Making changes to a NASCAR outside of those regulations could and have lead to a crashes. If a NASCAR team makes changes outside of the regulations that leads to a crash then it would be fair to say the modifications were at fault! In this case changes were made to an airframe that were outside of safety regulations, those changes were hidden from the FAA and they were a direct causal factor of this fatal incident. So yes really!

[@Mrbfgray]

Fedaykin24 Non of that was stated by the news commutator, only 'modifications were made'. So my comment remains valid.

[@Fedaykin24]

Bo McGillacutty NO you made an incorrect statement about how NASCAR works and used it as a Strawman argument for this incident. The NTSB stated modifications were made that were withheld from the FAA. Modifications that were dangerous and were direct causal factors for the crash. So no what you have said isn't valid.

[@Mrbfgray]

Fedaykin24 The REPORTER HERE said only that the plane was modified. THAT was what I was commenting on, not the NTSB report. Get it? Sheesh.

[@Fedaykin24]

Bo McGillacutty Doesn't change the fact that your NASCAR analogy is a Strawman argument..please do keep up. Sheesh

[@forkstrip1554]

In one still photo you can see that the elevator trim tab is entirely missing before impact. Here's what happened: 1. Higher velocity creates more lift, and trim tabs are used to "dial out" the extra lift and keep the nose down without the need to shove on the control stick. In theory, at the highest certificated speed you can eliminate the need for control pressure. The trim tab will keep the aircraft level. 2. Aircraft are certified to go up to a certain speed without aerodynamic flutter and the resulting damage that can result. Flutter can affect just about any part of the plane, including trim tabs. 3. This aircraft had a stock trim tab, but was souped up to go far faster than the plane was designed to go. At top speed the trim tab itself was not enough to keep the nose level. The pilot had to be shoving the stick forward as well. 4. The trim tab broke off, whether from flutter or some other reason. In that instant the plane became uncontrollable. Even with the stick shoved hard forward the nose would instantly rise, violently and uncontrollably. That's what happened. The reason you don't see the pilot in the still photo is that his seat collapsed under enormous G-forces it was never designed to handle. If he wasn't unconscious he was squashed down in the cockpit, and was no longer able to even try to control the plane. Of course, that made the positive pitch problem even worse in the final moments. Loss of consciousness or seat collapse were side-effects of the real cause, which was the lost trim tab.

[@FiveCentsPlease]

+Forks Trip Nope. The trim tab had been modified for electric operation and only the left side trim tab was functional. The right side elevator trim tab was fixed in place. The failure were the linkages to the trim tab attached with nuts that were out-of-spec instead of new ones. The trim controls failed and this allowed the trim to flutter. The trim controls were already failing before the accident and this was shown in still photos used by the NTSB. The trim tab fluttering and breaking away was only an after-effect after loss of trim control. Loss of trim control at high speeds sent the aircraft out of control with G-loads immediately incapacitating the pilot, who was slumped down against the instrument panel. The crash wasn't because of modifications but just because of some old nuts and bolts.

[@madgreek253]

My cousin along with other firefighters from Tacoma were at that race and at the 2:03 mark you cam see my cousin in the grey shirt and hat helping with rescue.