A new video was released yesterday of the Reno airshow crash of the P51D that killed numerous people instantly, and seriously injured many more. It was initally thought that the plane came in low and slid taking out the crowd, but this video clearly shows that was not the case
He apparently made a full loop pass at which time the plane nose dived into the earth at well over 350mph. Note one thing about the crash?..it happened SO fast that there wasn’t a fuel explosion, just debris.
Another video, which I haven’t been able to locate, apparently shows a front view of the cockpit moments before the crash and it shows that the pilot could not be seen in the plane. The pilot of a P51 is positioned shoulder-high and upright when strapped in, and it’s not known whether the seat failed, or he black out and slumped forward over the yoke.
Yes and no I guess, I know what you’re getting at. I know some 70+ year olds that are in better health than people younger than I am. My flight instructor was in his mid to late 70’s back when I was in flight school and the guy was tip top/sharp as a tack as they say.:dunno.
I’ve read all sorts of babble on this crash, from parts of the elevator missing in photos, to how the plane had big modifications to control surfaces and other misc BS(nothing definitive though). The picture of him “not in the plane” though makes me wonder if the seat did fail, because even if he had blacked or red out, you would still see him strapped in slumped over.
Hate to see people get killed. REALLY hate seeing another one of these planes go down. Yeaaaah, I’m THAT asshole.
Some are and some are not. they update certain flight controls and electronics for reliability and redundancy. common airframe crap that you already know about. Some of the P38’s/p40’s out there are those experimentals, while many of the remaining P51’s are still pretty unmolested.
And I’ve never flown a 152 to be honest :tongue 172, 182, 182RG, some beech and mooney’s, Da20’s. I’d rather be in an open ultralight than a 152 at this point :rofl
New photo of the damaged elevator, showing trim aero breaking off. This is just elevator trim and really doesn’t affect the flight of the plane to the point that it would have caused this crash on it’s own.
Trim piece of trailing edge on elevator now completely gone during flight(well before the crash)
Him clearly visible in the cockpit prior to takeoff
And in the dive.
May take on this…either his belts came undone and he’s crumpled up under the yoke, or that seat failed and he’s unable to ever remotely control that plane. and why is the tail gear down?..Scrambling ot pull on anything he could like the undercarriage levers to get back up???
Also, FWIW, there is a rather large cavity right below the cockpit tub. I believe it housed some minor electronics but also led to the airfeed for the underbelly engine radiator. Possibly the floor failed and that’s where he ended up? I dunno :dunno
The death aside for a second, that looks nothing like a P51 IMO the little differences really ruin the plane for me. I love love love P51 such gorgeous planes
Most changes you’d never even notice even being a nut about the P51. Lots of changes in the control mechanism, electronics and aviation instrumentation. Many also change the aerofoil profiles(ailerons, elevator, rudder, flaps, etc) to provide more control surface and lift for more radical maneuvering. Some change the canopy section to more modern polycarbonate parts for more visibility. This is all on top of modifications to the Packard engines which already put out in excess of 1600-1700HP.
