Looks like there was a mid-air collision, and both pilots are confirmed dead. No ground fatalities. Happened towards the end of the event, the last time ever for the races.
AT-6 Mid Air collision in the pattern following the AT-6 Gold Race.
September 17, 2023, 08:23 PM
erj_pilot
The guy that died in the P-63 Kingcobra crash in the Dallas air show was my IOE Captain in 2018. He was at the Reno races some years ago when the plane crashed into the stands. He escaped death THAT time by mere FEET. Still shake my head over that guy...
"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
September 17, 2023, 08:28 PM
P250UA5
quote:
Originally posted by erj_pilot: The guy that died in the P-63 Kingcobra crash in the Dallas air show was my IOE Captain in 2018. He was at the Reno races some years ago when the plane crashed into the stands. He escaped death THAT time by mere FEET. Still shake my head over that guy...
My wife's friend's husband & his dad had tickets that year, in the seats where it went down. They decided at the last minute not to make the trip from Bakersfield.
The Enemy's gate is down.
September 17, 2023, 09:42 PM
kkina
Tragically the collision happened after the race finish, during a cool-down lap, as the aircraft were turning from the downwind leg to base. There's eyewitness reports of one of the plane's vertical stabilizers being sheared completely off. No videos of the actual crash have been officially released as of yet.
The Reno Air Racing Association identified the pilots as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing. Macy piloted Six-Cat and Rushing flew Baron’s Revenge. Both were Gold winners in the T-6 Class. News 4This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,
Better this way than in a minivan on a grocery run.
“That’s what.” - She
September 18, 2023, 09:28 AM
Hound Dog
Well that sucks.
I can't say I'm sorry to see the Reno air races end, though. Too many warbirds and pilots have been lost over the decades, IMO. . .
Fear God and Dread Nought Admiral of the Fleet Sir Jacky Fisher
September 18, 2023, 09:31 AM
Sigmund
quote:
Originally posted by Hound Dog:
...I can't say I'm sorry to see the Reno air races end, though...
I don't think the races are ending, but they're looking a new location. Apparently, the formerly rural Reno/Stead area now has housing developments everywhere.
September 18, 2023, 07:34 PM
kkina
quote:
Originally posted by Sigmund:
quote:
Originally posted by Hound Dog:
...I can't say I'm sorry to see the Reno air races end, though...
I don't think the races are ending, but they're looking a new location. Apparently, the formerly rural Reno/Stead area now has housing developments everywhere.
Yes, correct. From what I hear there's some 6 places bidding for their new location. Nothing definite yet.
Just some early analysis. The accident happened after the races was over, coming in to land.
September 19, 2023, 10:32 AM
V-Tail
This might not be the most popular opinion, but after well over a half century of flying and instructing, I believe that there are a few types of flying that fall into the "hold my beer" category, presenting unnecessary risk with no appreciable benefit.
This type of air race is one of the activities that I personally classify that way.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
September 19, 2023, 10:40 AM
erj_pilot
^^^^^^
I certainly see your point. The same could be said of automobile racing. But I guess man was designed with the inner urge to conquer machine. So we'll have "Man vs Machine" until the end of time...
"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
September 22, 2023, 08:15 PM
kkina
Juan with more details about the crash. Video shows the race, but not the actual collision. He does, however, model the crash for us. Bad, definitely not survivable.
Originally posted by V-Tail: This might not be the most popular opinion, but after well over a half century of flying and instructing, I believe that there are a few types of flying that fall into the "hold my beer" category, presenting unnecessary risk with no appreciable benefit.
This type of air race is one of the activities that I personally classify that way.
I can’t say you’re wrong, but I’m not sure where one draws the line. Is aerobatic competition okay? How ‘bout airshows? Heck, cropdusting, while it does have an appreciable benefit, is extremely dangerous.
I guess I’m with Thomas Jefferson on the notion of dangerous freedom. While I may not choose to do air racing, I’m happy that it is my choice, not the FAA’s and that others are free to choose differently.
September 23, 2023, 12:33 AM
corsair
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail: This might not be the most popular opinion, but after well over a half century of flying and instructing, I believe that there are a few types of flying that fall into the "hold my beer" category, presenting unnecessary risk with no appreciable benefit.
This type of air race is one of the activities that I personally classify that way.
My understanding is this crash was on approach, which makes one wonder, does this incident have the same issues as the B-17/P-63 mid-air collision in Dallas 2022 where altitude deconfliction and clear understanding of flight paths was not explicit?
October 22, 2023, 02:31 PM
Sigmund
6 cities bid to be new home of National Championship Air Races
Aviation News Posted By: Haley Davoren, GlobalAir.com Published: Oct. 20, 2023 at 09:28 AM EST Updated: Oct. 22, 2023 at 01:15 PM EST
"Six cities across the U.S. have submitted over 1,500 pages of documents to be chosen as the new home of the National Championship Air Races. In March the Reno Air Racing Association announced that the 2023 event would be the final race held at the Reno-Stead Airport (RTS). After nearly 60 years, the airport decided to sever its ties with the historic racing event, citing the rapid development in the region, economic conditions, public safety and the impact on the public and airport. In June RARA officially began taking bids for a new host for the races and on Thursday it announced six bidders were vying for the role...
The six bidding cities include Casper, Wyoming; Buckeye, Arizona; Pueblo, Colorado; Roswell, New Mexico; Thermal, California; and Wendover, Utah..."
