At 16:05 PDT, a custom-designed North American/Rogers BLP-51R named Miss Ashley II crashed during a heat race at the Reno National Championship Air Races. Pilot Gary Levitz was killed when the empennage abruptly separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then pitched down and the left wing separated. The airplane was racing in the Unlimited Gold category, turning around the No. 1 pylon at about 400 feet agl when the failure occurred.
Sept. 18, Reno, Nev. / Miss Ashley II
At 16:05 PDT, a custom-designed North American/Rogers BLP-51R named Miss Ashley II crashed during a heat race at the Reno National Championship Air Races. Pilot Gary Levitz was killed when the empennage abruptly separated from the aircraft. The aircraft then pitched down and the left wing separated. The airplane was racing in the Unlimited Gold category, turning around the No. 1 pylon at about 400 feet agl when the failure occurred....
Key Takeaways:
- Pilot Gary Levitz was killed when his custom-designed aircraft, Miss Ashley II, crashed at the Reno National Championship Air Races.
- The accident occurred during an Unlimited Gold category heat race, initiated by the empennage abruptly separating from the aircraft.
- This structural failure led to the aircraft pitching down and its left wing separating.
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