NV - 2 North American T-6 planes collide in mid-air at air race, both pilots killed - Reno, 17 Sept 2023

[ifindedout]

Two pilots killed in crash in final day of National Championship Air Races in Reno

Emergency crews are responding to an incident at the National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport.According to witnesses, the incident happened at

mynews4.com

RENO, Nev. (News 4 & Fox 11) — Two pilots are dead after two planes crashed upon landing during the T-6 Class - Gold Race at the National Championship Air Races at the Reno Stead Airport on Sunday afternoon.

According the Federal Aviation Administration, a single-engine North American T-6G and a single-engine North American AT-6B collided in mid-air at about 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 17.

The Reno Air Racing Association identified the pilots as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing. Macy piloted Six-Cat and Rushing flew Baron’s Revenge. Both were Gold winners in the T-6 Class.

Accident North American AT-6B ,

Two AT-6 collided during the T-6 Class - Gold Race at the National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport during landing. Both pilot died. There were no injuries reported among ...

aviation-safety.net

Accident North American T-6G ,

Two AT-6 collided during the T-6 Class - Gold Race at the National Championship Air Races at the Reno-Stead Airport during landing. Both pilot died. There were no injuries reported among ...

aviation-safety.net

 

[ifindedout]

Cause of collision that killed 2 pilots during Reno air show confounds experts

Aviation experts say it was likely a visibility issue that caused two racing pilots to collide in mid-air while preparing to land in Reno last weekend. The first- and second-place winners of the National Air Race Championships could have crashed due to an aircraft blind spot, glare from the sun...

www.nbcbayarea.com

The mid-air collision that killed two racing pilots in Reno last weekend is confounding aviation experts.

The first- and second-place winning pilots, both Californians, crashed Sunday at the National Air Race Championships, possibly because of an aircraft blind spot, glare from the sun or even a brief moment of lost focus, experts said.

But many are dumbfounded by the fact that such experienced pilots who’d raced their T-6 warbirds at the same site so many times couldn't navigate trouble just seconds away from safely returning to the tarmac at Reno-Stead Airport.

“Honestly, it is very hard for me to find an explanation for how those two expert pilots ended up in the same piece of airspace at the same time,” Reno Air Racing Association CEO Fred Telling said.

 

[LadyL]

I'm sorry but air racing???

 

[ifindedout]

I'm sorry but air racing???

Yes, some are still held.

Air racing - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

This race (won't be held in Reno anymore, this was already planned):

Reno Air Races - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ifindedout]

An early analysis of the crash by the AOPA's Air Safety Institute:

ETA: it happened at the end of the "cool-down" phase after the race.

 

[PrairieWind]

I don't think we have heard from anyone that actually witnessed the collision have we?
The AOPA video is a good explanation of how the race procedure works and cool down. But even he pretty much says "don't know what happened." These were two really good and experienced pilots.