Imagine blasting past the pylons over Reno at 440 mph in your highly modified Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered P-51 Mustang race plane when suddenly — engine failure! You immediately pitch up, trading airspeed for altitude as you scan for the runway. There it is! Feather the prop, bank hard left and head for the ribbon of black cut amid the desert scrub brush. The Mustang drops in for a picture-perfect touchdown. As you roll out, you pop the canopy and give a thumbs up to let rescue crews know you’re A-OK. Phew!
Video: Deadstick Emergency at Reno Air Races
Key Takeaways:
- Race pilot Thom Richard experienced an engine failure at 440 mph in his modified P-51 Mustang during a practice session at the Reno Air Races.
- Richard skillfully performed an emergency landing, pitching up to gain altitude and safely landing the aircraft despite the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine failing due to a fuel system problem.
- The dramatic incident was captured by an in-cockpit video, which added to the intensity as the camera's gyro stabilizer went "whacky" during the 5G pull-up.
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