Is Reno history?

[CAPFlyer]

To be honest Paul, that's a helluva lot more than most Preliminary reports give.

Here's the Prelim for the T-6 that went down off the runway in Michigan a few days ago -

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief ... 5123&key=1

NTSB Identification: CEN11LA651
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 17, 2011 in Nunica, MI
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6, registration: N217RK
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 17, 2011, about 1815 eastern daylight time, a North American AT-6, N217RK, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a tree and terrain after a loss of engine power during takeoff from runway 8 (3,600 feet by 100 feet, dry turf) at the Hat Field Airport (5N7), near Nunica, Michigan. The commercial pilot received serious injuries. The airplane, registered to Tailwinds Inc., was being operated under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was on file for the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The airplane was the fourth airplane in a flight of five to depart 5N7. The airplane lost power during its takeoff, impacted a tree on the left side of the runway, and subsequently impacted terrain. The pilot was taken to a hospital for his injuries.

A preliminary report is nothing more than a statement of the facts known and undisputed at the time of publication and is used to give the basic premise of the accident sequence. Beyond that, it all waits until the final or any interim report that the NTSB chooses to release. This being classified as a "Major" investigation, we can probably expect to see interim reports once the data is analyzed and made into a presentable fashion.

[Paul Krumrei]

To be honest Paul, that's a helluva lot more than most Preliminary reports give.

Here's the Prelim for the T-6 that went down off the runway in Michigan a few days ago -

http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief ... 5123&key=1

NTSB Identification: CEN11LA651
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 17, 2011 in Nunica, MI
Aircraft: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6, registration: N217RK
Injuries: 1 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 17, 2011, about 1815 eastern daylight time, a North American AT-6, N217RK, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a tree and terrain after a loss of engine power during takeoff from runway 8 (3,600 feet by 100 feet, dry turf) at the Hat Field Airport (5N7), near Nunica, Michigan. The commercial pilot received serious injuries. The airplane, registered to Tailwinds Inc., was being operated under the provisions of the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. No flight plan was on file for the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The airplane was the fourth airplane in a flight of five to depart 5N7. The airplane lost power during its takeoff, impacted a tree on the left side of the runway, and subsequently impacted terrain. The pilot was taken to a hospital for his injuries.

A preliminary report is nothing more than a statement of the facts known and undisputed at the time of publication and is used to give the basic premise of the accident sequence. Beyond that, it all waits until the final or any interim report that the NTSB chooses to release. This being classified as a "Major" investigation, we can probably expect to see interim reports once the data is analyzed and made into a presentable fashion.

I know, sad I think maybe because this day and age, we expect our news and information to travel at the speed of the internet.

[agent86]

posting about incidents in other motor sports are reallly irrelevant to this post.11 people so far have died.over 50 injured.There were already outside influences trying to end the air races.and as many have said,insurance will be a major issue.Dale Earnhart killed only himself. Nascar is a money mill.Unlimited air racing is hanging on by its toenails.I have major doubts

[Ploesti]

There are mishapes in all forms of sports. Haven't foot ball bleachers broken and killed and injured many?
Here is one I found.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_tVDH2Z ... re=related
Looks like a car race though.
Then there are the riots and out of control fans at ball sports events, how many are injured and or die from that? I think Reno had a good recond of zero spectator injurys, till last friday.
Then there is the sudden unexplained deaths of young ball sports players. Does that mean that all such sports should not be allowed? What about the airline disasters? When hundreds are killed or injured, does that mean all air travel should be halted because people get hurt and can die from it?

Slow the unlimiteds down????? Naaa slow the jets down.

Hmmmm! Not quite getting where your going with this and how it relates. But I stand on the idea of if Reno air racing were to survive, if it means restrictions on airspeed, then so be it. I'd still attend and be entertained, if not more so, by more even competition. Don't get me wrong, If "unlimited" really mean't "unlimited" without a measure of a possible tragedy? Then go "balls to the wall" as it was before last Friday.

And this doesn't help matters, a YouTube video posted prior to the Reno Air Race depicts Jimmy Leeward explaining the plane's modifications, adding in that "the systems aren't proven yet." Though he also died as a result of the Reno air crash, this statement alone could conceivably lead to liability for his estate, as he can be held posthumously responsible for negligent acts. It could also lead to liability for race organizers, as they arguably have a duty to ensure the safety of all planes. Only time will reveal what caused the Reno air crash, but in the meantime, you can be sure that there are lawsuits already in the works.

Very sad indeed

[oz rb fan]

unfortunately as much as it pains me i think we have seen the last of the modified unlimited aircraft.
ive been a reno fan since i was very young(still remember my shock at reading of the demise of the rb51)'
but i suspect that the end result will be the only way the races can continue is with speed limitations,or possibly no unlimiteds at all.
i hope i'm wrong,but the public(not air race fans) will insist on some kind of change.

[Steve S]

posting about incidents in other motor sports are reallly irrelevant to this post.11 people so far have died.over 50 injured.There were already outside influences trying to end the air races.and as many have said,insurance will be a major issue.Dale Earnhart killed only himself. Nascar is a money mill.Unlimited air racing is hanging on by its toenails.I have major doubts

No Bucks- No Buck Rogers

[Speedy]

[And this doesn't help matters, [i]a YouTube video posted prior to the Reno Air Race depicts Jimmy Leeward explaining the plane's modifications, adding in that "the systems aren't proven yet." Though he also died as a result of the Reno air crash, this statement alone could conceivably lead to liability for his estate, as he can be held posthumously responsible for negligent acts.

I cringed at that too...especially considering that taken in context of how the video and comment related to the boil-off system for cooling the engine and had absolutely nothing to do with how the airplane flew.

But you can't fit that into a laymans snippet on the evening news.

[famvburg]

I've read all these posts as well as the accident posts in the related thread since the beginning. All this talk about the Unlimiteds made me curious. What category are these aircraft? Aren't they Experimental, as in the ultimate homebuilt? If not, why not? I would think that most of them are so modified that they couldn't be anything else. I would also think that if they are classed as Experimental, that should eliminate a lot of blame on anyone for whether or not systems & the like are proven or not. I do have a bad feeling that this may have been the last Reno as we've all known it.

[P51Mstg]

My guess is "Experimental-Exhibition" is the license for most. NO matter what the FAA licenses them as, the pilot has a duty to fly them safely and the designer and fabricators/builders have a duty to build them strong and safe. Those people are on the hook. (well as much as are a lot of others).

Mark H

[ZRX61]

I cringed at that too...especially considering that taken in context of how the video and comment related to the boil-off system for cooling the engine and had absolutely nothing to do with how the airplane flew.

Any decent lawyer will be able to spin that to indicate that the *experimental* boil off cooling system & ADI fluid made the plane safer by preventing a fire at the crash site even though loads of people got an avgas shower.....

[P51Mstg]

The cooling system had nothing to do with no fire at crash.....

The tanks were full of foam which prevented a lot of vaporization. More importantly the fuel was 160+ Octane SOMETHING (its closer to some organic than avgas) and it really doesn't vaporize at "room" temp and pressure. Hence no fire. I've heard you can put a cigarette out in it.

See VP Air Race.......
http://www.vpracingfuels.com/page469679.html



Mark H