Todos
← Back to Squawk list
Reno Air Race accident, in-cockpit video
Thom Richard experiences engine trouble on the grid in "Hot Stuff," but due to an apparent miscommunication, the other aircraft are signaled to take off, resulting on another aircraft impacting Hot Stuff from behind. Severe aircraft damage, but only minor injuries. (www.youtube.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
the video from the pilots cockpit was quite scary! I am glad the pilot and the other one who hit him are both ok..i have not been to reno or the old "stead" airbase in many years,so I dont know how the air races are handled now..a serious miscommunication on someones part...
This was a huge failure by the race officials. Thom signaled before the TO signal and the red flag was raised for the start yet the start wasn't halted.
Glad there were only "minor" injuries, that could have gone a lot worse.
Also, you can almost hear his ass pucker as the two aircraft takeoff either side of him and he realizes he is hosed.
Glad there were only "minor" injuries, that could have gone a lot worse.
Also, you can almost hear his ass pucker as the two aircraft takeoff either side of him and he realizes he is hosed.
That's gotta smart
This is a problem that can happen when several aircraft take off in formation. It is the very same thing as the pile ups of cars in a freeway, and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it except launching one aircraft at a time and order cars to keep a 500 ft. distance from the car up front which is an impossibility. Learn to live with those risks.
BS. I've done hundreds if not thousands of formation t/o's and I never put myself in a position where I could hit a dude in front of me if he had a mechanical. This was a bad plan, poor execution, or both.
David, I Agree. Clearly significant lapses occurred in safety procedures associated with this race. Whether the lapses are systemic (as they were with the Galloping Ghost crash) or an individual lapse is to be determined. Fully 20 seconds elapsed between the Hot Stuff 'canopy up' signal of a problem, and the subsequent impact. That's a lot of time, and not much time. Clearly the "KNOCK IT OFF" procedures were inadequate. Whether they also lacked redundancy, and other characteristics of robustness is TBD. Arguing that the 'risks' just go with the sport are BS.
This reminds me of a time when I was driving my daughter and a couple of her friends from the theater to her friend's house. I had remarked that you're supposed to keep at least 2 seconds behind the car in front of you but that with freeway traffic like where we were, it's usually impossible.
To that, one of the girls replied, "Well, you are." :)
Well, I was, I'm happy to report. Actually, most of the multi-car pile-ups I read about are blamed on the weather, which, in my opinion, is almost entirely misplaced blame. Drivers seem to be the worst about it in California. They will not slow down for the fog because they are afraid someone behind them will rear-end them, which is exactly what happens, because they are not slowing down.
To that, one of the girls replied, "Well, you are." :)
Well, I was, I'm happy to report. Actually, most of the multi-car pile-ups I read about are blamed on the weather, which, in my opinion, is almost entirely misplaced blame. Drivers seem to be the worst about it in California. They will not slow down for the fog because they are afraid someone behind them will rear-end them, which is exactly what happens, because they are not slowing down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVnRkSSN-T8