A vintage World War Two fighter plane crashed near the grandstand at a Nevada air race on Friday, killing at least three people, including the elderly pilot, and injuring more than 50, officials said. At least 15 people were in critical condition after the crash at the Reno Air Races, which a spokesman for the event called a "mass casualty situation" in a written statement.
The plane, a P-51 Mustang dubbed the "Galloping Ghost" that was being flown by pilot Jimmy Leeward, crashed into a box seat area in front of the main grandstand about 4:20 pm PDT (2320 GMT), said Mike Draper of the public relations firm R&R Partners, which represents the race. Video apparently taken from the stands and posted on YouTube showed a plane plunging nose-down into the tarmac as spectators were heard gasping: "Oh, my God."
"I heard his engine and looked up. He was within 100 feet (30 metres). He was coming right down on top of us," witness Fred Scholz told CNN. "It just happened very quick." The Federal Aviation Administration halted the air race after the crash, and was investigating the incident alongside the National Transportation Safety Board, an FAA official said.
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