A vintage World War II-era fighter plane plunged into the grandstands on Friday during a popular annual air show, killing at least three people, injuring more than 50 spectators and creating a horrific scene strewn with body parts and smoking debris.
The plane, flown by a renowned 74-year-old air racer and movie stunt pilot, spiraled suddenly out of control and appeared to disintegrate upon impact. Bloodied bodies were spread across the area as people tended to the victims and ambulances rushed to the scene.Maureen Higgins of Alabama, who has been coming to the show for 16 years, said the pilot was on his third lap when he lost control.Among the dead was pilot Jimmy Leeward, 74, of Florida, a veteran airman and stunt pilot who named his P-51 Mustang fighter plane the "Galloping Ghost," according to Mike Houghton, president and CEO of Reno Air Races. Officials earlier said Leeward was 80.Stephanie Kruse, a spokeswoman for the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority,told The Associated Press that emergency crews took a total of 56 injury victims to three hospitals.
Kruse said of the total 56, at the time of transport, 15 were considered in critical condition, 13 were serious condition with potentially life-threatening injuries and 28 were non-serious or non-life threatening.The P-51 Mustang crashed into a box-seat area in front of the grandstand at about 4:30pm local time, race spokesman Mike Draper said. Nevada Air Race Crash Injures at Least 75 by NewsLook
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