RENO, NV – At the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, a deadly crash took place on Sunday. Two planes reportedly collided during landing, and this collision resulted in the death of both pilots. The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) confirmed the unfortunate event and identified the deceased pilots as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing.
Fred Telling, the chairman of the Reno Air Racing Association, expressed his deep sorrow over the incident. He described the pilots as not just integral members of the National Championship Air Race family, but also part of his personal family. Fred extended his condolences to the pilots’ families and the fans who have been supporting the event.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has shared reports that the collision occurred around 2:45 p.m. PT on Sunday. The pilots were the only occupants of their respective aircraft, a single-engine North American T-6 G and a single-engine North American AT-6B. The incident took place at the end of the T-6 Gold race, according to a Facebook post by RARA. Thankfully, no spectators were injured in the incident.
RARA emphasized its commitment to safety in its post, stating that it works year-round to ensure the safest event possible. The association is cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the FAA, and local authorities. These collaborative groups will work to determine the cause of the accident and provide necessary support to all involved parties.
The FAA and the NTSB will jointly investigate the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead role in the investigation, as per FAA guidelines.