Early Analysis: Reno Air Races T-6 Midair September 17, 2023 

OMG, seriously? The Reno crash is bad. But this is a major gut punch.

@@JMChladekit’s called irony

Was the tail found in the bed of Fred Sandford's truck?

It was terrible, especially the hour or so before they announced no one was walking away from it. People started crying when they announced it, and we all knew the races would be over forever after that.

@@GLC-1979 No you Fool, the junkyard is the other way!!!!!!!!

So, the planes are a write off as well then?

@@jaredl.1738 Maybe they find another place to run the races I think tribal land is the best in Arizona. We have casino hotels already support drag racing at wild horse pass won't have the problem with developers on that land. Lower altitude then Reno they only need to adjust the date a few weeks forward heat won't be a problem. Metro area of Chandler is only 30-minute drive same distance from Reno to the Stead airport now. They could even build a runway dedicated to Air racing with grandstands don't really need an existing airport.

@@My_Fair_Lady Yea agreed its not really the best I've never seen planes fly that green landing circuit he showed

Closest I've seen was an old (straight-tail) Cessna 310s gear fail to lock down upon landing at Brackett Field (KPOC). Not sure if the pilot had foreknowledge of the situation.

and sheared the tail and part of the wing, the other aircraft was seen to have lost a wing also i posted above also and the witnesses said one aircraft didnt turn and went straight while the other planes turned, that would be the 2 place finisher hitting the first place finisher

@@lutomson3496how do you know? I want more info (not saying I don’t believe you I’m just actually curious as to where you found out)

@@lutomson3496 Except that it didnt, one aircraft was above and the other either came up into it or the upper aircraft dropped down into it, this happened while getting into a pattern to land on the runway its not a case of a group of planes turning and one not, after the race and leaving the cool down its up to the pilots individually to maneuver themselves and get into a pattern to land. There is also a controller that can direct planes into the pattern to land but usually its left to the pilots to handle it among themselves. Also the second aircraft did not loose a wing it was probably damaged in some way but stayed together and didn't loose any major pieces. I don't think there's enough to go off of in that photo to say it was hit from above the prop strikes on the wings would look similar being above or from below . I was there didn't see the collision but saw the crash sites.

If you read the transcript of the p63/b17 accident it's clear that the air boss told the fighter pilots no less than three times to be above the bombers, three times and none of the fighters complied with that direction. Also the B-17 and other bomber pilots should have spoken up that the fighters continued to be at their altitude even though the air boss told the fighters to be above the bombers.

I was thinking the same, blancoliro did a great analysis of that tragedy.

Boohoo

Me too-

I’m astonished that they’re not under tower, even a remote tower or other controller, directions for landing. Seems supremely stupid and dangerous that they’re not. That needs to change.

It's an "uncontrolled airport" which means although there is a "tower" there is no tower staff....not even during the races. Stead Airport Operations Airport use: Open to the public Activation date: 08/1943 Control tower: no ARTCC: OAKLAND CENTER FSS: RENO FLIGHT SERVICE STATION NOTAMs facility: RTS (NOTAM-D service available) Attendance: MONDAY - FRIDAY 0700-1630 Pattern altitude: 5850.1 ft. MSL TPA-6246(1200) HEAVY/HIGH PERFORMANCE ACFT. Wind indicator: lighted Segmented circle: yes Lights: ACTVT HIRL RWY 08/26 & 14/32 - CTAF Beacon: white-green (lighted land airport) Operates sunset to sunrise.

That’s definitely something that should change at the new location. Have a controller, even a temporary controller, coordinating the takeoffs and landings, and to take charge in the event of an emergency or anomalous situation.

@@richardnolan4763 Couldn't we simply have a temporary controller for this event, just for safety? We have done this at the Copperstate Fly-In for years.

Interesting. Look forward to your analysis of this.

The day you get handed your pilot's license, is the day you being a lifelong education about flying/aviation. Good luck getting your ticket!!!

The take-away is that all pilots need to actively check for traffic on every leg of the traffic pattern. The commentator in the video calls them 'belly" turns. All pilots also need to make accurate and correct position reports in the traffic pattern.

dont fly and save your life/$$$$

I am waiting for AOSP analysis video on this crash

@@SDD-fj1bl Android Open Source Project?

@@SDD-fj1bl AOPA

Did you not hear news?

Richard was in that plane… or are you trolling?

He “knows something is wrong?” At that point, the pilot already knows his fate. Horrible.

It must have been because it has been edited out. That picture is the only thing that gives a clue as to what happened. Prop strikes, no wing strikes. It does not appear anywhere in the media.

Boom! Splat.

Where is the photo? Don’t see it anywhere in the video

Fastest guys were the ones that crashed.. huh.

yeah ... that'll help !

We are heartbroken we need prayers

These " accidents" became common on those air shows... I'm an aviation enthusiast and r/c modeller but something needs to do about...

It's built into their draw, it's a race, ditz. Unless these wealthy people start production lines for these old war birds there should be a ban of these gladiatorial "races". They should save these aircraft and go back to designing and developing large scale aircraft like these and others from the 30's, maybe develop super-prop eclectic, anything that would advance this and keep from losing yet another few irreplaceable relics. I personalty just love to see them collide and spin in, stupid pilot errors and poor planing "cutting corners" on more than just design and safety like they do in the companies that these tyrants run, it's a good way to laugh at the rich scum buying more than our real estate .

@@kkteutsch6416yeah, and even the host of this video. Rich boys in toys.

Quite sure praying to allah, god or hermes will not bring these poor souls back.

Air Venture and now Reno were mid-airs. The P-63 and B-17 in Texas was mid air also of course. Most crashes have been single aircraft. The Mig-23 ejection, AT-6 stall/spin into lake at OSH '23, etc.

It's such a shame to see those vintage planes all smashed up like that.

@@vangroover1903Seriously? That’s your concern?

Yea that circuit he showed isnt really correct I've never seen planes fly that as a circuit to land

Yes, they were first and second. The photo is of Chris in the winning plane.

So all the speculation about folding into the landing traffic has nothing to do with the incident? So the overlap is not a factor? I understand if it is good for the future, but then why speak so prominently about the overlap now? I do appreciate the "continuous left turn" discussion as that may have led to belly blind spot (which is infuriating that blind spot operation and risk is a "thing" whatsoever :( :( )

@@Bill_Woo They crossed the line within seconds of each other, and apparently Nick tightened up even more on Chris during cool-down. WHY he did so hasn't been explained, but this isn't a case of lost traffic -- if he had done so, knowing how close they were, Nick would simply have climbed up out of the pattern. This is entirely different than the B-17 crash, where planes flying two different tracks at different airspeeds collided.

@@SoloPilot6 [re Nick tightened up] ... or Chris slowed down? I've had knarly episodes with bicycles braking in front of me. Thank you for taking the time to spell things out.

@@SoloPilot6 So in the cool down they don't usually stick super close with each other and spread out , the order they are in usually stays that way just due to the fact of how they might finish and leave the cool down but i don't think they were super close with each other during cool down they came together more on the downwind to base leg

Yes they call leaving the cooldown , downwind , base and final with gear.

The good news is that these pilots (all of the above) won’t be flying anymore. Less danger in the air and less danger on the ground.

If they fly into each other, kill each other, how on earth could you call them “great pilots”? I always thought great pilots don’t crash and die.

@@johnhopkins4920 If you were riding in one of those planes during a race you would shit your pants. In this world accidents happen all the time. Karma will give you your first accident soon enough

@@plap. That’s not an answer to my question. Pretty juvenile to wish someone to crash (like you just did with me). Not very mature to be honest. I sure hope it doesn’t happen to you. Would have been nice of you not to wish I will have an accident.

@@johnhopkins4920It was not a question. It was your excuse to troll. Your comment was in bad taste and I never said what the accident would be. karma from a statement like yours will decide for you. I have no control over what you decide to do. Accidents happen to everyone.

Great idea!

totally possible. some experimental taildraggers have forward facing cameras so they see where they are taxiing. I think Mike Pateys planes even have rearward facing cameras. A wide angle lens under the belly should not be an issue except that you'd need a glass panel in the cockpit to show the image. I don't think that the T6 racers are loaded up with multiple garmin panels.

In this day & age, I don't see why not. Hell, that blue & yellow T-6 (forget the pilot's name) that was shooting video during the race, that plane even had a glass instrument panel! Never seen that in a T-6 (or in any warbird) before.

This, too, baffles me. Not just this instance, but imagine... Seeing gear down, or seeing a blown tire, or trail of oil out the bottom of the cowl, or has an animal or person wondered upon your belly, how close to the edge of a taxiway are you with your wheels... The list is crazy long if you just go down a list of one year's worth of accidents.

@@z31beck you make a very good point there.