The tragic accident that killed 11 people and injured 70 more at last year’s Reno Air Races was horrific, canceled the remainder of the event’s races and put the races future in jeopardy. Those who witnessed the crash described a horrifically gory scene with blood and body parts strewn across the pavement around the seating area. The horrific tragedy occurred when Jimmy Leeward lost control of his P-51D Mustang, The Galloping Ghost, and crashed just in front of the box seats of the grandstand. The National Transportation Safety Board investigated the crash and determined the cause was a trim tab that had broken off The Galloping Ghost’s left wing. Our hearts go out to everyone injured in the accident. If you or a relative were injured or killed in a Washoe Valley personal injury accident, contact NV-Attorney.com to start discussing your case.
After the crash, four Reno personal injury and Northern Nevada wrongful death lawsuits were filed in Reno and Texas federal courts. In addition, the NTSB published a list of recommendations for the safety of the races moving forward. These recommendations included pre-race inspections of pilots and airplanes, inspection and testing of modified aircraft for airworthiness, a new race course layout and positioning of the grandstands, increased Federal Aviation Administration cooperation and guidance, physical stress training for pilots and much more. If you have been involved in a Reno personal injury accident, log onto NV-Attorney.com to start discussions with a Nevada licensed personal injury attorney today.
As the Reno Air Races for 2012 approach, there has been a challenge for the company that puts them on to raise enough money to buy insurance for the event. After donations and sponsorships, the National Championship Air Races had to raise an additional $600,000 for Northern Nevada personal injury and Reno wrongful death insurance. Fearing the loss of the race’s estimated $80 million economic impact to the Silver State, the Nevada Commission on Tourism entered a sponsorship deal to ensure the races are held. The money used to pay for the sponsorship came from money originally budgeted for a Northern Nevada/Lake Tahoe bid for the Winter Olympics