Accident at Reno… P51 Galloping Ghost.

It was Bob Hannah, former MX racer.

Thanks for that info.

2010 final was cancelled owing to high winds.

But I believe he won the race due to his standing after prelims.

Strega wins the 2010 race for the second time and was expected to repeat this year as Dago Red was not in it.

2010 final was cancelled owing to high winds.

I was at that event. As the Unlimited’s dove down towards the first pylon, VooDoo climbed steeply. The announcer noted it and said that when aircraft are in trouble they climb high to get out of the pattern and are better suited to select a landing site. It was not known that the pilot (forget his name….Skip Holm???)…

It was Bob Hannah, former MX racer.

PS…a few comments about the video. As the aircraft form up, Steve Hinton flies the T-33 Shooting Star pace aircraft trailing smoke so all the racers see him. On his right is his son Steven Hinton 23 (22 at the time) flying Strega the 2009 champion. Strega is the fastest aircraft after Dago Red (not racing) which holds the Unlimited lap record of 520+mph.
Anyway, the aircraft line up in accordance with their qualifying speed. VooDoo is third and Rare Bear a previous multi winner is second. As the aircraft cross the ridge they dive down to the first pylon. When Hinton in the T-33 is sure everyone is lined up he climbs up and says “Gentlemen….you have a race”. You can see VooDoo’s speed in the upper left increase leading up to the T-33 climb out. As they race you can see the white Strega streak away from VooDoo. No doubt Strega is going over 500mph at the time. The course is just over 8 miles. The far end is a turn and then the backstretch called “The Valley of Speed” is where racers reach their maximum and some drop down to just over the scrub/desert floor. There are a number of racing buffs who hang out on the ground back there. I haven’t but the sense of speed must be fantastic.
Strega wins the 2010 race for the second time and was expected to repeat this year as Dago Red was not in it.
Mechanical “fitness” plays a big part. Rare Bear has frequently been scratched because of mechanical problems but won the two years previous to Strega’s return.
It is IMPORTANT to note Tiger DiStefani used to own and fly Strega but retired, something perhaps that Jimmy Leeward should have done as 74 is quite old to fly Unlimited’s. IMO 60 is probably the max age for this class of aircraft racing and look for some kind of age restriction if the event continues next year. One has to have lightning reaction times. I’m not saying a younger man could have recovered Galloping Ghost with it’s trim tab failure but Jimmy Leeward seemed to have some kind of friendly vendetta with Tiger D and challenger him to come out of retirement and race him.
Another thing to note, people have said an old man flying a 75 year old aircraft…well the “aircraft” was entirely rebuilt (see Jimmy Leeward’s website) and was practically brand new.
Who knows how fast it might have gone but one must note these are “experimental” aircraft and crashes have happened.
Thought some of you would like this background info.
R.I.P Jimmy and may the ether allow for happy flying and to play your final two aces and see how fast GG can go.

AFAIK the fast climb is a default maneuver if the pilot experience technical problems – to bleed off speed.

I was at that event. As the Unlimited’s dove down towards the first pylon, VooDoo climbed steeply. The announcer noted it and said that when aircraft are in trouble they climb high to get out of the pattern and are better suited to select a landing site. It was not known that the pilot (forget his name….Skip Holm???) said that G’s forced him to the floor and he had to claw his way back up to regain control. Eerily, Galloping Ghost climbed too but he was in a trun off the last pylon and much lower. You will note in one of the photo’s that no helmet is visible in the cockpit. G’s have forced Leeward to the floor as well as his climb was even more abrupt than VooDoo’s.
I was also at the races when Miss Ashley II a contra rotating prop heavily modified P-51 with Lear Jet wings crashed . As the aircraft passed before the stands there was a conflagration in the sky. This was in 1999. At first I thought two aircraft had converged but it turned out the tail wings tore off leading to torque/torsion which caused the Lear Jet wings to separate and the body of the plane disappeared over a hill all in a matter of seconds. That came as the final race of the day and the Thunderbirds were supposed to perform after but were cancelled. A pall settled over the airshow crowd who are all ardent aircraft afficionado’s. I was not at this years event but thought I’s post this YouTube offering of VooDoo in last years Saturday Gold Cup race. It’s the best I’ve ever seen. Go full page and listen to the sound of a Merlin in full bloom. The view is similar to the one I had of the pilot when I rode in Wee Willy II but I was only doing about 260-270 mph.
Stu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2TQ8dJDMFE

Quick PS…the climb I saw Voodoo do was NOT the slow one in this YouTube video rather it was back in 1990 something (possibly 99 same year Miss Ashley crashed). He abruptly climbed rapidly right after start.

😮 21 G’s – That is phoenomenal! How did she not break apart? I suppose that must have been peak at 21 G’s only sustained for a second or two?

Not surprised he blacked out and slumped below view 🙁

Reno crash telemetry data.

Here are some telemetry data from the P-51 “Galloping Ghost” which crashed at Reno.

Airspeed around pylon 7 – 495 mph.

When the trim tab broke off the aircraft pitched up pulling 21 G’s and airspeed reduced to 375 mph. (Tail wheel popped out, pilot slumped below view).

Source: http://aerobaticteams.net/news/reno-crash-telemetry-data.html

Thanks for editing that Moggy..
Bob edited your quote of my prev post due to spelling errors..

Edit:… Might as well ignore this completely…:cool:

I read it that way too – he seemed to allude to the pilot lying horizontal with his upper body in the fuselage behind the seat? When you look at the cockpit design there is a solid flat surface behind the pilots head – the canopy is mounted on a single hinge which is attached to some form of counterweight? (see http://vimeo.com/15243822 – scroll to the end of the video after he shuts down GG).
Is the area behind the pilot packed out with the boil-off cooling system, seeing as it vents just above the trailing edge of the wing root?

(BTW Peter, Not sure what you edited in/out of my post but my opening statement was intended to be humour… 😉 )

Obviously he didnt see the pictures then.. If I read that article correctly he is stating he was pushed backwards which is wrong when your in a near vertical dive.

Well that article flies in the face of those that took pics that prove he was not backards but forwards, anyway this is getting a bit ghoulish so thats all I will say.

Peter, what do you know? That guy has been flying small planes for over 56 years and had six years of aeronautical studies in the 50’s. He’s studied the photos, facts, and physics on this accident for over three hours, and it all came together for him as to what ‘must’ have happened….

He obviously didn’t study the image of an inverted GG showing the pilots helmet ‘leaning’ against the instrument panel which was pretty widely published on the internets…

Looking at the video that ZRX61 posted – I note that on the previous lap there was a certain “bobble” from the Ghost (approx 6.55 into the video).

The bobble is where the aircraft hit the prevailing wind blowing west to east. I too was there and sadly witnessed the whole terrible sequence. RIP to all who were killed and speedy recovery to those who were injured. There was a very moving memorial at Idlewild Park attended by our Governor and local politicos last night.

The family most affected by the disaster, with their matron killed and four others of the family injured to varying degrees of severity, spoke at a news conference and expressed their gratitude to those who have been so helpful and expressed their sincere wish that the races continue.

I helped push the UH-1B over to fuel up and after the shortest pre-flight I’ve ever seen they flew over and had injured on board and on the way to the hospital in minutes.

It was amazing how rapidly the First Responders got there and had things in hand. It certainly helped that around 100 spectators in the stands were medically trained to various degree and descended on the injured no doubt saving many.

It is a terribly sad end to a great aircraft, a wonderful and compassionate pilot, and eleven or more race fans enjoying their sport. I hope the races are allowed to continue. I was up at Stead today and the stands are coming down and there is still a double fence around the debris field (though that was cleared away last week) and I hope that people can begin to heal the physical and emotional wounds as soon as possible.

Very good article from a veteran aviator about what caused the Reno crash.

http://aerobaticteams.net/news/what-caused-reno-aircraft-crash.html

Well that article flies in the face of those that took pics that prove he was not backards but forwards, anyway this is getting a bit ghoulish so thats all I will say.

There’s alot of MUSTS in the article,maybe it was highly probable and possible but to state MUST is a bit iffy ,especially when there is no evidence left.
It’s all conjecture and possibles and probables and maybes’,truth is no-one will ever know absolutely beyond all doubt.

There is plenty of evidence, lots of photographic and video, telemetary from the A/C plus the physicaly evidence from the crash scene.
To say we will NEVER know is a little premeture, let the NSTB do there job and report in due course.
One thing I think is clear is that after the pitch up GG was on her own and thankfully after the 22.5G pull up reported from the telematary Jimmy was no longer with us and was unaware of what was to come.
A sad sad day and I really think this thread has run its course untill such time as a full NTSB report is available.
racking over and over the same old stuff helps no one. Let those that perished so tragically that day rest in peace.

Very good article from a veteran aviator about what caused the Reno crash.

http://aerobaticteams.net/news/what-caused-reno-aircraft-crash.html

There’s alot of MUSTS in the article,maybe it was highly probable and possible but to state MUST is a bit iffy ,especially when there is no evidence left.
It’s all conjecture and possibles and probables and maybes’,truth is no-one will ever know absolutely beyond all doubt.

Very good article from a veteran aviator about what caused the Reno crash.

http://aerobaticteams.net/news/what-caused-reno-aircraft-crash.html

Obviously doesn’t know much about Reno aircraft….

Its an opinion, but is at variance with much of what has been said elsewhere.

The conclusion that the pilot went backwards is wrong, as pictures show his head against the instrument panel.

What had to have caused the Reno crash…

Very good article from a veteran aviator about what caused the Reno crash.

http://aerobaticteams.net/news/what-caused-reno-aircraft-crash.html