Reno Air Show Crash

Jimmy Leeward, a 71-year-old pilot of the vintage World War II P-51 Mustang, spiraled out of control without any caution and blew into pieces at a National Championship Air Races in Nevada. “The P-51 Mustang crashed into a box-seat area in front of the grandstand at about 4:30 p.m.,” said Mike Draper, race spokesman. There are a total of nine deaths, and 56 injuries, however, ABC World News reported that, “authorities said it is possible the number of injuries may be even higher because some people left for the hospital in private vehicles.”
“It came down directly at us. As I looked down, I saw the spinner, the wings, the canopy just coming right at us. It hit directly in front of us, probably 50 to 75 feet,” said Ryan Harris, of Round Mountain, Nevada.
KTVU News reported that, “Maureen Higgins of Alabama, who has been coming to the air races for 16 years, said the pilot was
on his third lap when he lost control.”
“The next thing I saw was a wall of debris going up in the air. That’s what I got splashed with. In the wall of debris noticed there were pieces of flesh,” said Harris.
“The National Championship Air Races draws thousands of people every year in September to watch various military and civilian planes race,” reported Alyssa Chin, KKTV/KOLO/AP News. There has also been a few safety concerns in the past, including pilots who were killed in 2007 and 2008. “It was such a concern that local school officials once considered whether they should not allow student field trips at the event,” added Chin.
Mike Houghton, president and CEO of the Reno Air Races, said at a news conference that pilot Jimmy Leeward of Ocala, Florida, died in the crash.
Houghton described Leeward as “a good friend. Everybody knows him… He’s been here for a long, long time.”
Urbana High School sophomore, Soulina Sikeo calls Jimmy Leeward a hero. “He probably did everything to avoid duck ponds, schools, villages, nurseries etc. Well done that man.”
“The way I see it, if he did do something about this, he saved hundreds if not thousands of lives because he was able to veer that plane back toward the tarmac,” said Johnny Norman, a man who was at the show.
Leeward, the owner of the Leeward Air Ranch Racing Team was a well-known pilot. His website, (www2.leewardairranch.com), says that he has flown more than 120 races and served as a stunt pilot for several movies, like “Amelia” and “Cloud Dancer.”
“This is a very large incident, probably one of the largest this community has seen in decades,” Stephanie Kruse, a spokeswoman for the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority, told The Associated Press. “The community is pulling together to try to deal with the scope of it. The hospitals have certainly geared up and staffed up to deal with it.”
UHS sophomore Margaret Taylor says that all she can really imagine is a horrific scene. “My condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones.”
“The National Championship extends their deepest sympathies and condolences to all of the families involved in today’s tragic accident. The Air Races are truly one big family and our thoughts are with all of our aviation family members, immediate and extended,” air race officials said in a statement.