Second fatality stuns spectators

A 48-year-old Wyoming land developer died in a jet plane crash Thursday, the second fatal accident in three days at the Reno National Championship Air Races.

Brad Morehouse of Afton, Wyo., was "killed instantly" when his L-39 Albatross slammed into the ground and burned in front of horrified spectators at Reno Stead Airport about 2:45 p.m.

"It was gut wrenching, I'll tell you," said Scott Dierolf, a race fan from Dallas who was in the aircraft pit area, about 300 yards from the crash. "It's a dangerous sport. It's unforgiving."

This week's deaths were the 16th and 17th in the 44-year history of the Reno Air Races. Steve Dari of Lemon Grove, Calif., was killed Tuesday in a single-engine biplane crash.

Both crashes are being investigated by federal aviation authorities. The last fatal accident at the races was in 2002.

"The pilot appeared caught in wake turbulence," Michael Houghton, president of the air races, said of the jet crash. "He attempted to make corrections. He was killed instantly."

Despite Thursday's accident and Tuesday's crash during a practice flight, competition is expected to continue today.

"I don't see any reason why they shouldn't," Houghton said. "That's what Brad Morehouse would have wanted us to do."

Racing started Wednesday and ends Sunday.

"I've said this before," Houghton said. "They're here to race and that's what they're going to do."

Witnesses said Morehouse was completing a turn at the west end of the course on the first lap of his race, the day's second for jets, when he appeared to get caught in the wake of a jet ahead of him.

"He just made the turn," said Craig Diller, a spectator from Phoenix. "He rolled right, then snapped back to the left. Left wing hit first."

Observers said Morehouse first hit the ground near the west end of the race course, on the opposite side of the taxi and runways that separate the course from the pit area and grandstands.

"I looked up and I saw him hit," said Ed Verdonk of San Jose, Calif., a member of a sport plane pit crew who was standing on the taxi ramp when the crash occurred. "I saw a fireball."

Onlookers said the jet burst into flames and ended up near the grandstands, about

300 yards from spectators.

"It appeared he got it back level," said Bill Fell of Irvine, Calif. "But his angle was too much. He couldn't get it back. It just makes you sick."

One race, for small sport class airplanes, was postponed after the crash. But another took place, in the unlimited class for World War II-era fighters.

"They gave us the option," said Dean Berry of Scottsdale, Ariz., a pilot in the sport division. "All the pilots said they'd feel better not running, which is good after something like that."

Although Houghton said racing would take place today, pilots in the jet class will decide if they want to continue.

"They'll spend a lot of time talking about what they want to do," said Houghton, who was waiting to view video tape of the crash.

Jets started racing in Reno in 2002.

Morehouse, co-developer of Afton Airpark near the resort area of Jackson Hole, Wyo., had finished fourth in Wednesday's jet qualifying race, officials said, reaching a maximum speed of 504 mph.

"You don't want to see that," Fell said of the crash. "You want to see guys (race). But you don't want to see flames."

The jet Morehouse flew, named "Dino Juice," is a type often used for military flight training.

Morehouse' wife Leslie, was at Thursday's race, Houghton said.

"She's doing as well as can be expected," Houghton said.

The crash touched off a small brush fire along the runway that was doused quickly.

On Tuesday, Dari, a former Navy fighter pilot, died in a crash after the engine on his biplane stalled.

The accident occurred shortly after takeoff on a practice flight.

"It appears he had engine problems," Houghton said. "His engine stopped in the air. He attempted to land. The plane stalled and went (down)."

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic ... /1016/NEWS

It is a REALLY BAD year for the air shows it seems like. I do not recall it being this actively fatal in recent times.

I concur...I never remember ANY year HALF as bad as this year.

WAY TOO MANY!

There was a third fatality Friday:

http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/9784912.html

Quote:

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Two airplanes collided in the air Friday at the Reno National Championship Air Races, killing one pilot and injuring another in the third fatal crash there in four days.

Five-time defending champion Gary Hubler, 51, Caldwell, Idaho, was killed in the crash shortly after 9:30 a.m. at the Stead Airport just north of Reno, race officials said.

It marked the 18th fatality in the 44-year history of the air races and prompted the suspension of the competition the rest of Friday. Race officials said they did not know whether the event would continue through the weekend as scheduled or not.


The pilot of the other plane involved in the accident, Jason Somes of Simi Valley, Calif., was taken to Renown Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. A friend said he was being treated for an eye injury.

Hubler's plane apparently clipped the back of Somes' plane before crashing. Somes was able to land his damaged aircraft, race officials said.

Two judges on the ground also suffered minor injuries from flying debris. One refused medical attention and the other was treated at the scene.

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I made a second topic about this someplace on the site. Bad year man.