Last of the old, bold pilots

NTSB: High speed, worn parts led to deadly Reno Air Races crash

Washington (CNN) -- A lethal combination of worn aircraft parts and
unprecedented speed caused last year's Reno Air Races crash, which
killed a veteran pilot and 10 spectators, and injured more than 60
others, federal accident investigators concluded Monday.

The main culprits, according to the National Transportation Safety
Board, were several lock nuts on the left trim tab -- an aerodynamic
surface on the horizontal part of the plane's tail -- nuts that had
not been replaced in at least 26 years.

The worn nuts allowed screws to loosen -- possibly years ago, without
apparent consequence, the NTSB said. But when pilot Jimmy Leeward
pushed the highly modified P-51 Mustang to a speed of 445 knots -- 35
knots faster than it had ever flown before on the Nevada race course
-- the flaw caused flutter vibrations in the plane's trim tabs. The
plane pitched up at about 17 Gs of acceleration, incapacitating
Leeward.

The plane rolled, plunged towards the ground and slammed into a box
seating area, showering the area with debris.

When the incident happened last September, it threatened to bring an
end to the National Championship Air Races in Reno, the only race of
its kind in the nation. But organizers have compiled a complete
schedule of races from September 12 through 16, saying they have made
numerous safety improvements recommended by the NTSB.

Among the improvements: race planes will be required to demonstrate
their airworthiness at racing speeds before participating in races,
spectators will be seated further from the aerial race course and the
Reno Air Races has "flattened" the tight turn where last year's
accident occurred.

"Pilots know that they are taking risks, but air race pilots expect
that the risks taken are theirs alone," said NTSB Chairman Deborah
A.P. Hersman. "The spectators assumed that their safety had been
assessed and addressed."

Hersman said the NTSB made its recommendations in April to give the
Reno Air Racing Association time to implement the changes for this
year's race.

The NTSB said major modifications to the aircraft, intended to make
the plane faster, contributed to the accident. Its 37-foot wingspan
had been reduced to 29 feet. Some of the changes were undocumented and
had a detrimental effect on the World War II-era aircraft, which was
known as "The Galloping Ghost." For instance, investigators said, the
plane's right trim tab -- a piece of the tail -- was locked in
position aligned with the tail.

Pilot overwhelmed by g-forces in Reno crash

"On this airplane, you should have both trim tabs," investigators
said. "This pilot put a screw through there to fix it in position, and
when you do that, he lost redundancy. You have put all the eggs in the
basket of hoping the left elevator will not fail. And it did fail."

Leeward's age, 74, was not found to be a factor in the crash. The 17 g
forces that resulted from the failure greatly exceeded human
tolerances, the NTSB said. It is difficult for trained pilots to
remain conscious with even 5 Gs, the NTSB has said.

The accident investigation was greatly aided by numerous movies and
photographs by spectators, according to the NTSB.

Since the accident, several victims and family members have filed
suit, one alleging that the crash was not a "freak accident," but was
"the predictable result of a reckless drive for speed by a risk taking
pilot and crew, coupled with an insatiable drive for profit" by race
organizers.

The Reno racing association, meanwhile, announced last week it has set
up a $77 million fund to compensate victims or heirs. The program is
being administered by Kenneth Feinberg who administered funds for
victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the BP Deepwater Horizon
disaster.

The Reno crash focused attention on the dangers of air races and air
shows. In addition to the 11 people killed at the Reno races, five
performers died at air shows elsewhere last year. Federal regulators
and air show organizers vouch for the safety of the system, saying
rules for U.S. air shows are stricter than those in other countries.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/us/nev...obe/index.html
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- gpsman

gpsman writes:

Leeward's age, 74, was not found to be a factor in the crash.

A very important detail, given the amount of age discrimination that one
sometimes encounters in aviation circles.

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

gpsman writes:

Leeward's age, 74, was not found to be a factor in the crash.

A very important detail, given the amount of age discrimination that one
sometimes encounters in aviation circles.

Yeah...all them stupid young punks that think they know it all
and their **** don't stink. We don't need 'em!!!



Brian
--
http://www.skywise711.com - Lasers, Seismology, Astronomy, Skepticism
Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes?