RENO (Nevada, US), Sept 18 (NNN-XINHUA) — Two pilots were killed Sunday in a collision during an air racing show in the western U.S. state of Nevada, organizers of the event said.
Two planes collided at the T-6 Gold race as they were landing at around 2:15 p.m. local time during the National Championship Air Races in Reno, a city in northwest Nevada, according to the Reno Air Racing Association.
The association confirmed in a statement that “two members of our racing family, Nick Macy and Chris Rushing, passed away in a landing accident.” The organizers noted that both were skilled pilots and gold winners in the T-6 Class.
The T-6 is a single-engine trainer to train pilots. It is one of the most-produced aircraft models in the world. The T-6 Class provides some of the most exciting racing at Reno, with an emphasis on strategy and pilot skill rather than raw horsepower, according to the association.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said that it is investigating the accident.
The organizers said the event, which features seven racing classes, has attracted more than 1 million spectators over the past 10 years.
It is not the first fatal crash in the annual event. A pilot was killed last year after a jet plane crashed during the event. In 2011, 10 spectators and one pilot were killed and dozens seriously injured after a fighter plane crashed into the crowd. — NNN-XINHUA
