Reno racer down

[JeremiahWeed]

Thoughts and prayers to those involved. Here's some pictures of what was presumably the trim tab during the incident-

It certainly looks like some sort of mechanical failure from this angle-

I'm not an expert, so I'm really asking: Wouldn't that be a control tab (not a trim tab)?
Does anyone know if control tabs are the primary (only?) method of elevator control in a P-51?

 

[FlyBoyd]

I'm not an expert, so I'm really asking: Wouldn't that be a control tab (not a trim tab)?
Does anyone know if control tabs are the primary (only?) method of elevator control in a P-51?

Detail views from here... http://www.swissmustangs.ch/40492/31566.html

 

[jmcquate]

It's about 3/4 of the port trim tab. The elevator is the primary control of pitch. The elevator trim is used to "fine tune" pitch.

 

[wlawr005]

Smarter people than me have stated that when the trim tab broke, it only broke in half. You can see the remaing half of the tab towards the outboard edge of the elevator. When the tab broke, it detatched from the servo and moved to the down position, causing the elevator to pitch up. At that speed, the tab failure was enough to induce a 10G climb, and sadly the rest is history.

Not an expert, but it makes sense.

 

[sickboy]

Happened at least once before: http://www.warbird.com/voodoo.html

"Apparently, the left elevator trim tab came off the airplane at speed, causing the bird to abruptly pitch up, subjecting driver Hannah to over 10 G's of deceleration forces, and causing him to lose conciousness!"

GLOC was the first thing I thought of when I saw that video.

 

[Birdog8585]

Jim Leeward was a personal friend of my family. My heart sank when I heard there was a crash in Reno, I immediately thought of him. He was the missing man in the P-51 flyover at my grandfather's funeral in Ocala, a flyover that he arranged and forcibly made happen in direct opposition to many external factions at the time.

He, along with my uncle and grandfather served as my initial and everlasting inspiration in aviation.

He was a great man, legend in the small community (both aviation and local) and will be overwhelmingly missed.

RIP Jimmy.

 

[Jim123]

Lawsuit filed in Reno air race crash

http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-lawsuit-filed-reno-air-race-crash-181921040.html

So the family of one of the dead spectators is suing the family (and various associates) of the dead pilot for $25 million. WTH?!? I guess I should be most surprised that it took the ambulance chasers six weeks to figure out who had the deepest pockets and then fill out the paperwork. Disgusting.

 

[Flying Toaster]

If you want to know one of the things that's seriously wrong with this country, see above. I will rarely give the Europeans credit for anything, but this area of their legal system is one of the few things they've gotten right.

"Some people say this was an accident," said Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee... "But it seems to me the formula that they created made an accident inevitable."

Using this logic we should probably never let a plane leave the ground. I'd hate to know what this guy thinks about car accidents. Ohh right, "accidents" don't exist... especially when there's someone to sue.

 

[ryan1234]

Lawsuit filed in Reno air race crash

http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-lawsuit-filed-reno-air-race-crash-181921040.html

So the family of one of the dead spectators is suing the family (and various associates) of the dead pilot for $25 million. WTH?!? I guess I should be most surprised that it took the ambulance chasers six weeks to figure out who had the deepest pockets and then fill out the paperwork. Disgusting.

It'll be interesting to see how that actually shakes down. My guess is a disgusting settlement.

 

[KBayDog]

It'll be interesting to see how that actually shakes down. My guess is a disgusting settlement.

A disgusting settlement, and the end of the Air Races...not to mention significant restrictions on future similar-type events.

 

[scoolbubba]

Shoot the lawyers, solve the problem.

 

[Recovering LSO]

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/frie...cle_b1a40bbb-9f28-52af-b7bf-8ead9db9fde4.html

I'll have to look through an old ERAU MAS text book, but I'm almost positive that if/when Delta or United or Alaska crash an airplane - they're named a "party" to the investigation. Really nothing to see here...

Attorney Tony Buzbee is a douche of the highest order.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Do you know him? Not that you're necessarily wrong, I'm just curious.

 

[ryan1234]

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/frie...cle_b1a40bbb-9f28-52af-b7bf-8ead9db9fde4.html

I'll have to look through an old ERAU MAS text book, but I'm almost positive that if/when Delta or United or Alaska crash an airplane - they're named a "party" to the investigation. Really nothing to see here...

Attorney Tony Buzbee is a douche of the highest order.

A friend of mine is involved in the investigation and unlike most accidents, that particular community is very small but filled with extremely knowledgable people. Mr. Buzbee's remarks are just making him look like an idiot.

 

[Recovering LSO]

Do you know him? Not that you're necessarily wrong, I'm just curious.

I do not know him. So the possibility exists that I have spoken out of turn here, BUT based on the statements that he has made in several media outlets I suspect that I may be right.