On September sixteenth a fateful event took place claiming the lives of eleven people, and injuring at least another seventy. On Friday, September 16, a World War II-era fighter plane crashed into a grandstand full of spectators who had come to see the National Championship Air Races and Air Show, held every September in Reno.

Reports say that the plane crash was due to Leeward, the pilot blacking out.  The pilot had blacked out because of the “G-load”, which is the numerical ratio of any applied force to the gravitational force at the earths surface. Even though officials think they have an answer as to why the plane crashed, it is still indefinite.

Another possibility is the fact that the airplane may have been defective. Photographs show that the plane was not in the condition to be flown, but there factors were over looked and they plane flown anyway.

Another possibility that they offer was that the pilots’ seat was broken. Because of the broken seat, the  “g-load” was too unbearable causing the pilot to loose consciousness.

However, all of these possibilities aren’t taking Leeward’s age into consideration. Medical examiners conclude that anyone at that age is more susceptible to suffering from blackouts and the practicality of it actually happening in conditions such as Leewards’ was inevitable.

Investigations are still open, and the accident will be researched further until a final conclusion has been reached. This incident has raised many concerns as to whether or not we should use vintage planes in airshows due to the fact that they are prone to many manufacturing risks.

The community has gotten together volunteering to donate blood and offer any assistance needed to those who have lost family members. A memorial service was be held on this past Monday, September 25.