P-51 Crashes at Reno Air Show, Killing Pilot and Two on the Ground

Warning: Please do not read this if details of deadly accidents are upsetting
to you. It is upsetting to me, but it caught my interest because the pilot in the crash
was flying a P-51 Mustang, a plane that my Dad flew in WW II

Read at article about Reno plane crash

Our father, a U.S. Navy pilot, flew many different planes, and also performed as a
stunt pilot, though not in any movies. Family stories say that Dad, who passed away
in 1984 at the age of 62, owned two planes (as a civilian) when I was born in 1947.
I have very dim memories of being taken up by him when I was a young child, as
well as more distinct memories of going to flight shows with he and the family to see
such popular show" pilots as the Blue Angels (Navy) and the Thunderbirds (Air Force).

In the early 1970s, while I was serving in the National Park Service In Washington,
my wife accompanied me to an airshow to see the Thunderbirds perform. The next day
one of the Thunderbird pilots experienced mechanical problems with his plane and had
to eject.

His ejection was successful, but tragically his parachute took him to his death when he
landed in the burning wreckage of his own plane.


More  on the P-51 Mustang