NORTH AMERICAN/AERO CLASSICS P-51DJames K Leeward
Reno, NV, USA · 2011-09-16·N79111
What happened
NTSB summary, verbatimThe Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAB-12/01. On September 16, 2011, about 1625 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, single-seat North American P-51D, N79111, collided with the airport ramp in the spectator box seating area following a loss of control during the National Championship Air Races unlimited class gold race at the Reno/Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp (dba Leeward Aeronautical Sales), Ocala, Florida, and operated by the commercial pilot as Race 177, The Galloping Ghost, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and 10 people on the ground sustained fatal injuries, and at least 64 people on the ground were injured (at least 16 of whom were reported to have sustained serious injuries). The airplane sustained substantial damage, fragmenting upon collision with the ramp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed RTS about 10 minutes before the accident.
Photographs
1the aircraft, and what the investigators foundProbable cause
the Board's determinationThe reduced stiffness of the elevator trim tab system that allowed aerodynamic flutter to occur at racing speeds. The reduced stiffness was a result of deteriorated locknut inserts that allowed the trim tab attachment screws to become loose and to initiate fatigue cracking in one screw sometime before the accident flight. Aerodynamic flutter of the trim tabs resulted in a failure of the left trim tab link assembly, elevator movement, high flight loads, and a loss of control. Contributing to the accident were the undocumented and untested major modifications to the airplane and the pilot’s operation of the airplane in the unique air racing environment without adequate flight testing.
Occurrence sequence
3 stepsNTSB coding · CICTT taxonomy- 1 · Prior to flightAircraft maintenance event
- 2 · Maneuvering-low-alt flyingAircraft structural failuredefining event
- 3 · Maneuvering-low-alt flyingLoss of control in flight
Findings
4 causal · 2 contributing- CAUSEAircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Tab structure (on elevator) — Failure
- CAUSEAircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Elevator/tab attach fitting — Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- CAUSEPersonnel issues › Action/decision › Action — Pilot
- CAUSEAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters — Not specified
- FACTOROrganizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Documentation/record keeping — FAA/Regulator
- FACTOREnvironmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design — Contributed to outcome
Safety recommendations
10 issuedwhat changed because of this accidentTO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Revise Federal Aviation Administration Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System, volume 3, chapter 6, section 1, paragraph 3-151 and Advisory Circular 91-45C, "Waivers: Aviation Events," to correct inaccurate and incomplete information and reconcile all differences and inconsistencies between the documents.
TO THE NATIONAL AIR RACING GROUP UNLIMITED DIVISION: Require aircraft owners in the unlimited class to provide an engineering evaluation that includes flight demonstrations and analysis within the anticipated flight envelope for aircraft with any major modification, such as to the structure or flight controls.
TO THE NATIONAL AIR RACING GROUP UNLIMITED DIVISION: Develop a system that tracks any discrepancies noted during prerace technical inspections and verifies that they have been resolved.
TO THE NATIONAL AIR RACING GROUP UNLIMITED DIVISION: Provide high g training to pilots, including techniques to mitigate the potential effects of high g exposure, as part of preparations before the Reno National Championship Air Races (NCAR) and during daily briefs at the NCAR.
TO THE NATIONAL AIR RACING GROUP UNLIMITED DIVISION: Evaluate the feasibility of requiring pilots to wear g suits when racing at the Reno National Championship Air Races; if the evaluation determines it is feasible, implement a requirement.
TO THE RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION: Require aircraft owners, as a condition of eligibility to participate in the Reno National Championship Air Races, to provide an engineering evaluation that includes flight demonstrations and analysis within the anticipated flight envelope for aircraft with any major modification, such as to the structure or flight controls.
TO THE RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION: Evaluate the design of the unlimited class course and safety areas to minimize maneuvering near and potential conflicts with spectators; if warranted by the results of the evaluation, implement changes to the race course.
TO THE RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION: Take the following actions to raise the level of safety for spectators and personnel near the race course: (1) relocate the fuel truck away from the ramp area and (2) in front of any area where spectators are present, install barriers more substantial than those currently in place.
TO THE RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION: Provide high g training to pilots, including techniques to mitigate the potential effects of high g exposure, as part of preparations before the Reno National Championship Air Races (NCAR) and during daily briefs at the NCAR.
TO THE RENO AIR RACING ASSOCIATION: Evaluate the feasibility of requiring pilots to wear g suits when racing at the Reno National Championship Air Races; if the evaluation determines it is feasible, implement a requirement.
NTSB analysis
from the final reportThe Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAB-12/01. On September 16, 2011, about 1625 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, single-seat North American P-51D, N79111, collided with the airport ramp in the spectator box seating area following a loss of control during the National Championship Air Races unlimited class gold race at the Reno/Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp (dba Leeward Aeronautical Sales), Ocala, Florida, and operated by the commercial pilot as Race 177, The Galloping Ghost, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and 10 people on the ground sustained fatal injuries, and at least 64 people on the ground were injured (at least 16 of whom were reported to have sustained serious injuries). The airplane sustained substantial damage, fragmenting upon collision with the ramp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed RTS about 10 minutes before the accident.