74 year old pilot in a P-51 Mustang

[Bill, KD0HG]

I found a pic of the missing trim tab online.
I don't know if losing it would cause a complete loss of control, not having ever driven a P-51.

The wings of that bird were shortened some 5 feet and the ailerons were cut down from 60" to 32" in the quest for more speed. IMHO, those mods might have been a issue in a loss of control and/or stability in an emergency situation. There certainly would be less control trying to recover at a slow speed.

[KA3ZLR]

Nice Pic Bill well done, ya know with that falling the elevator could have Jammed..Oh Boy..

[N4LTA]

I didn't mean all of the frame was new even though I said it was.

I meant that it was not a POS with worn swaged cables, metal fatigue and not fit to be airworthy as you seemed to indicate (fit only for a museum)

As the poster above stated, It was probably well inspected - It was a racing aircraft, not some rarely used antique.

Another point of view I guess. I enjoy vintage aircraft and am a EAA member. Indicating that the plane was old and not airworthy and the pilot was too old to be flying - before the fact are determined- made me want to give another point of view.

[KA3ZLR]

Not a Problem it's a terrible thing an it's normal to chase any piece of information.

That's FB I mentioned Swagged fittings I had a teacher in class say when we learning how to Swagg
control cables You get one chance to get it right...no double press, and nobody can garrantee
the life span of any produced Control Cable...I looked at that guy an said ya know folks lives depend on these things...an he looked at me and said Then do it right the first time....Tough character.


I had a mixed respect for Control Cabling...



73
Jack
KA3ZLR

By the way I was on maintaince with A-7 E Corsairs on the Carrier Kennedy..
you don't see to many of them anymore mostly reserves that have them..

[KE5YTV]

Jack

I have found info on the internet that the Ghost underwent a major rebuild and restoration from 2005 - 2009. However, I couldn't find any details on what was done.  

Steve

I too would like to hear what you have to say if it could be recorded or posted here.

73 Mike

[K5WLF]

Steve, glad you're OK. I'd like to read your story here if that's possible.

I was at Reno in '92 and have wanted to go back every year since. Glad I wasn't able to go this year. '92 was a good year, only two incidents that I remember. One Cassutt nose-over on take-off and one 'off field landing' in either a Silver or Bronze race. No pilot injuries. The Pond Racer (good intentions, terrible execution of them) killed Rick Brickert in '93.

Air racing, especially at that level, will always be one of the most dangerous of motorsports. I believe that the builders, the race officials and the FAA do all they can to ensure the safety of the sport, but things will go wrong. I'm concerned that the "antis" will use this tragedy to try to end the Reno races and that would be a terrible loss to aviation, in my opinion.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those lost and with those injured as they recover.

ldb

[KM1H]

Ive been to Reno as well as air races on 3 continents when Ive been on military or business travel, fatalities have been associated with them since the teens.

[WD5JKO]

http://news.yahoo.com/reno-air-race-crash-scene-shows-violence-impact-135438644.html;_ylt=AlOqS0ILnQhaUMDeTdbDVXCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNtbThvc21zBG1pdANKdW1ib3Ryb24gRlAEcGtnA2U5YTUxMDc3LWQ3ZjYtMzUyMi1hODUwLWVhZjRiYTE0NDA5NgRwb3MDMQRzZWMDanVtYm90cm9uBHZlcgM3MmI3ZmNhZS1lMjJlLTExZTAtOWUxNC0xZjBiMDNjYjY3MWU-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

"Questions were raised, too, about modifications to the plane made to make the plane more aerodynamic so it would go faster without a bigger engine. In a podcast uploaded to YouTube in June, Leeward said major changes were made to the plane before this year's race. He said his crew cut five feet off each wing and shortened the ailerons — the back edge of the main wings used to control balance — to 32 inches, down from about 60 inches.
"I know the speed. I know it'll do the speed. The systems aren't proven yet. We think they're going to be OK," Leeward said."


Seems like some big changes to me... Tragic that so many were killed and wounded.

Jim
JKO

[N4LTA]

I once thought about building a homebuilt - but then I started thinking about some of the "fixes" that I have done and the results that I got when flying large RC models, I decided that although I probably would have no problem - I didn't want to put my childrens life at stake.

Same with a pilots license - I started out and had no problems - but I was 53 and beginning to feel my age,  and I just didn't want to put my family at risk.

As you said - There are usually no second chances to get it right - and many experts end up killing themselves and others.

[ve6pg]

..i am a licensed aircraft structures mech. i wont touch any of this stuff...homebuilt, airshow stuff...no way....i dont want to go to prison for someones foolish acts...


..sk..

[WA1GFZ]

A7 was a death trap for ground pounders with that inlet so low.
It didn't belong on a carrier. I worked on the A7 VHF receiver my first job in electronics.

[WA3VJB]

Flight data and video recorders were on board.

That should be interesting if anything can be retrieved from the storage.

[KA3ZLR]

Good Day Everyone

 A lot of good postings have come in WOW I didn't give the data recorders a thought
Paul I should have this is 2011, Francis the A-7's wern't to bad just leaked a lot.....
Timmy I didn't know you were a Mech Kewell I thought about it but when I seperated
from the military then I got wonderen feet and spent a few years on the road. We have
one of the most fore front Aviation school in the nation here in West Mifflin Pa. after
being cramped up on that ship I needed some air big time.. Jim I still can't get over
that pic in the crowd...Wow..


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[WA1GFZ]

A7 ate ground pounders if they walked too close to the inlet. A friend lost a couple buddies.

[KA3ZLR]

A7 ate ground pounders if they walked too close to the inlet. A friend lost a couple buddies.

Oh Francis I have no doubt of that, I dived many times checken the Intake Seal...Looken back the whole Time... One of the more Senior Plane Captains was a bit of a joker an liked to cover the intake as a Joke I got sent up to mast one time for Payen him what I felt was his Measure of Due...I glued his Boots to the Hard Deck one night on Compartment Watch... LOL

I Bought him a new pair of Boon dockers...they couldn't Take my third for so little of Charge but I
scrubbed and polished the Ready room for a month...LOL...........airmen can't be Flight Line Mech...


73
Jack
KA3ZLR

[KA0HCP]

...boots glued to the deck...

I'll bet that was worth going to mast for. 

[flintstone mop]

Preliminary tests from the crash are saying the airframe was modified and broke apart from the high speed of travel.

Fred

[flintstone mop]

how 'bout this???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jxcSY1AwrM&feature=related

Getting sucked into something

[KB2WIG]

These things happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbXX-9eB7PI&NR=1


klc

[WA1GFZ]

I saw a video on NBC this morning. He either blacked out or was kissing himself good bye. You could not see him in the cockpit.

[KL7OF]

The short version.....I am a commercial pilot and former check pilot for the G force aerobatic club..I was watching from a position halfway down the back straightaway..The ghost was in third position and was in a bank after turning the last pylon...just starting to level out a little and he pitched straight up very violently.  My opinion is that he was out cold at this point..I have never seen an airplane pitch up so quickly...The plane went straight up until it stalled and nosed over coming down nose first and hit the ramp in front of the box seats....I was quite a distance away and could see flying debris...I was in the pits earlier that day and took a few pictures of the galloping ghost as the crew was preparing it for the afternoon heat race...A good looking airplane and a professional crew..These guys have been doing this a long time..

[Sam KS2AM]

Great pic of P-51 engine assembly 1942, Inglewood CA.

http://www.shorpy.com/node/11296?size=_original

[Ed/KB1HYS]

I believe, but I am not sure, that the trim tab on the P-51's elevator is the mechanism for actuating the control. The tabs aero forces move the control surface.  Hence, loosing the tab would mean loosing all pitch control.  A sharp pull up making 3-4 G's could certainly black someone out, especially if it was unexpected.

SEL commercial Pilot, Inst Rating, Basic Ground Instructor, Airframe & Power plant Mechanic, all nice ratings, but none are current Although I did just renew my medical.