Early media reports have a racing aircraft crashing into or near a grandstand during one of the air-racing events held at the Reno-Stead Airport in Nevada




The pilot of the highly modified clipped-wing P51 Mustang - Galloping Ghost piloted by 74-year-old Jimmy Leeward of Ocala in Florida - apparently lost control during a high-speed banked turn and flipped inverted hitting the ground adjacent to one of the VIP stands - reports have 4-persons killed and at least 75 persons seriously injured

Fatalities as of midday Saturday (USA time) are the pilot and eight spectators

Eight spectators are in a critical condition in hospital plus nine serious

AirServices Australia is accused in the media of gross incompetence after the ATSB released their long awaited report on a near miss between an Emirates 777 and a Qantas 737-800 on 3 September 2009 and a Cathay Pacific A330 and a Virgin Blue 737-800 near Darwin on 22 December 2009




Quoting from the comments - "It seems to me that the positioning and obscure wording of this report is designed to keep an extremely unsatisfactory situation out of public view"

Ben Sandilands in his "Plane Talking" blog section of the Crikey news media suggests that the poor or lack of adequate training for air traffic controllers .."is potentially criminal negligence by AirServices Australia all under the imperturbable gaze of the responsible minister Anthony Albanese"




The Minister was also accused of hypocrisy by the AACC Inc last week over Archerfield Airport safety issues