Plane crashes near spectators at Reno air races

[MNJason]

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/16/plane-crashes-near-spectators-at-reno-air-races/?hpt=hp_t1

I read initial reports were 75+ dead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCNePeKn3Tg

 

[Fast Freddy]

from the looks of that video it looks intentional to me. but i am sure it was not as spectators would be saying that and they are not. hopefully some more vidz will surface that show a different perspective....

RIP

 

[Fast Freddy]

just found another perspective of this > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTzX35wOGas

looks to me like he was inverted when he nosedived into the ground....

 

[2112]

Youtubes already gone

 

[RALPHIE]

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/09/16/ac-nv-air-show-plane-crash.cnn

 

[2112]

That seems to be the only video available at this time.

Sad situation.

 

[Specracer]

News coverage this am, showed some pics of the rear tail coming apart prior to incident, sad event, especially that spectators were injured

 

[Empty Pockets]

Initial reports said there were 'x' number of "critical injuries" but no deaths reported. Well, shoot, one look at the vid of the impact and any sane person would instinctively know the pilot couldn't possibly have survived.

Man, what a totally rotten turn of events.

 

[GT38]

The news this morning reported that the P-51 lost it's elevator trim tab. It sound like it could have been flutter (I'll let Indy explain that!)

 

[2112]

Video from another location, Shows plane "losing" control before going down;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JAQyM3ZSY0

 

[MNJason]

Very eerie pic!

 

[GT38]

Very eerie pic!

It's noteworthy that the tail wheel is extended because this could be an important clue to the accident investigators. An accident is always a chain of events. While the extension of the tail wheel in itself would not cause the accident, the reason it extended without the mains and where this falls in the chain of events could point to or confirm other events in that chain.

 

[RALPHIE]

I believe the tail wheel of most tail dragger planes is always left out.

 

[GT38]

I believe the tail wheel of most tail dragger planes is always left out.

It depends on the airplane, Ralphie. Examples of WW2 aircraft that have fixed tailwheels include the T-6/SNJ, Wildcats, Hawker Hurricanes, Me-109's and early Spitfires. Examples with retractable tailwheels include the P-51, later Spitfires, Seafires, Corsairs, Hellcats and FW-190's, etc.

Here are photos of the accident aircraft before the crash, and another I found that shows the elevator trim tab departing the aircraft.

 

[RALPHIE]

I stand corrected! My favorite will always be the SBD Dauntless, in -3 or -5. They didn't retract their tail wheels.

 

[GT38]

I stand corrected! My favorite will always be the SBD Dauntless, in -3 or -5. They didn't retract their tail wheels.

You have good taste! The Dauntless has always been a favorite of mine too. It's not glamorous like the fighters but is a very interesting and historically significant aircraft - at the time, a critically important replacement to the obsolete TBD Devastator. Most importantly, like all aircraft in WW2 it was flown by very brave young men.

 

[Empty Pockets]

...and another I found that shows the elevator trim tab departing the aircraft.

After seeing dozens of photos of the unbelievable amount of damage B-29's, etc., took during bombing runs and yet somehow still made it back to base and landed safely, it's difficult to believe loosing that 'one little chunk of metal' could result in that horrific crash.

"Life is not simple", as my Dad use to say.

 

[PILOTJPW1]

It seems odd that all the good photo's we have seen, and the pilot is not to be seen in the canopy. A possible medical issue caused by g force or something may have been in play. Terrible for the races, I really want to see this one day. God Bless the family as they have lived and loved aviation to the max.

 

[GT38]

After seeing dozens of photos of the unbelievable amount of damage B-29's, etc., took during bombing runs and yet somehow still made it back to base and landed safely, it's difficult to believe loosing that 'one little chunk of metal' could result in that horrific crash.

"Life is not simple", as my Dad use to say.

That's why I suspect flutter, Larry. It can develop very quickly and progress to structural destruction in seconds. In an aircraft it can result in very rapid and complete loss of control. Since Indy hasn't weighed in yet, here's a good layman's explanation of flutter (about half-way down) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroelasticity To be clear, if flutter was involved in this accident it was probably not because the trim tab detached - the trim tab would have come off because of damage caused by flutter. But all that is speculation on my part and we'll will have to wait for the eventual NTSB report to know what really happened.

Here's a video showing flutter in action. Keep in mind that the Twin Comanche footage is in slow motion. You'll of course recognize the very famous footage of a bridge that USED TO be in your neck of the woods!

[video=youtube;qpJBvQXQC2M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpJBvQXQC2M[/video]

And this Airbus A380 flutter test video puts the seriousness of flutter in perspective.

[video=youtube;s3-g9B6Fgjs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3-g9B6Fgjs[/video]

 

[Empty Pockets]

Thanks, Richard. Not being a pilot (or having any consuming interest flying), I'd never heard of flutter before you mentioned it...other than when wifey's cardiologist diagnosed her with 'same...buuuuuuut, that's a bit different.

Looking at the vids, I'll bet your theory proves correct.



And, ya, I'm fully aware of "Gallopin' Gertie"...though 'twas a bit before my time!