Reports of 3 Killed at Least 54 Injured at Reno Air Races

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Updated: 9:10 PM Sep 16, 2011 Reports of 3 Killed at Least 54 Injured at Reno Air Races Multiple fatalities at the Reno Air Races after an Unlimited plane crashed into the grandstand soon after take-off. Posted: 6:52 PM Sep 16, 2011 Reporter: Staff Email Address: news@kolotv.com

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Multiple fatalities at the Reno Air Races after an Unlimited plane crashed into the grandstand soon after take-off.

Unlimited plane has crashed at the Reno Air Races just after 4 p.m. that has killed 3 people and injured at least 54 Friday, hitting people seated in the box seats near the grandstand.

According to witnesses pilot Jimmy Leeward was flying the Galloping Ghost, that went down soon after take-off during the beginning of the Unlimited race.

The Unlimited plane hit the grandstand, box seats injuring dozens of spectators.

Reno-Stead airport authorities are asking everyone to go home.

All planes are grounded.

Stay tuned as we will be updating as details become available.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Kelly Location: Reno on Sep 17, 2011 at 12:43 PM

I agree with Stead Resident. We cannot give up for fear of the unkown, there's no way to live that way. Everyday you face the unknown; you could get hit by a bus, or a train, or something else could happen to you. If you give in to fear then you may as well stop going out of your house at all...but wait...you're house could blow up! You're not even safe there. As far as the children go, I believe Stead Resident is correct. Children often learn through hands on experience. Lecturing in a class room just isn't enough. And another reason why he couldn't have ejeted...he was too low, the parachute would not have fully deployed. Not only would he have just hit the ground...but hundreds of lives would have been lost when his plane flew into the bleachers.

Posted by: Stead Resident Location: stead on Sep 17, 2011 at 10:27 AM

It is unfair to judge the way people are. I was to reports and news that question Leeward’s attempt of evasive maneuver, and why a man his age was still piloting… Perhaps if we all step back and realize this pilot is also dead! Well, he could have saved himself and said the hell and ejected his seat but guess what he went down with his plane, avoiding to his the bleachers where then we would have had real mass casualties!!! And questioning his age, what the puck do they want as - teenagers?! He was a war veteran, and a stunt pilot in Hollywood! Secondly, I don’t hear anyone saying to stop the freaking car races, and we know how those usually end. I mean are we going to stop all things dangerous – watercraft races, skiing, oh even our kids racing with their sleds on a snowy day; I mean I have heard of bloody noses and broken bones because of this awfully dangerous backyard sport. In regards to the gentleman below asking to stop freebies for school kids, I have 3 kids of my own (8th, 7th, and 1st graders), and I fully support the idea of our children attending events where they can enjoy themselves and learn. I don’t hear anyone saying oh don’t send them to the zoo because they can get attacked, and events like that have happened (most of the time because of kids teasing the animals, because of parents not teaching them the basics or allowing them to experience or learn, etc. & because they don’t know how to follow rules ), don’t send to the circus they may get sat on by an elephant, don’t send them to excursions to UNR because blah blah blah… It is unfortunate that accidents happen, but they do, we may try to prevent them but not all will be contained. We cannot stop leaving because of fear of the unknown, and we certainly shouldn’t punish our children for our own fears! And most importantly we shouldn’t point the finger at the ones who lost their own life avoiding a real mass disaster!

Posted by: F*** U Location: Up my ass on Sep 17, 2011 at 09:27 AM

You guys need to stop making up info. It is rude to the sport of air racing as a whole, as it gives it a worse rap.

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