Two pilots lost their lives when their aircrafts collided during their landing attempts at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, according to an announcement from the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA).
The pilots have been identified as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing.
Fred Telling, who chairs RARA and presides over the T-6 Class, confirmed that both pilots were key members of the National Championship Air Race community and were close to him. He extended his condolences to the pilots’ families and to all the fans and spectators.
The collision occurred around 2:45 pm on Sunday, September 17, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Both aircraft had only the pilots on board at the time of the accident. One aircraft was a single-engine North American T-6 G, and the other was a single-engine North American AT-6B.
In a Facebook post, RARA provided more details, stating that the collision happened at the end of the T-6 Gold race. They also confirmed that no civilians were harmed in the incident.
The Association emphasized its commitment to safety and informed the public that they work throughout the year to ensure a secure environment for the event. They also mentioned their cooperation with authorities, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA to determine the cause of the collision. They are focused on providing necessary support to all involved parties.
Both the FAA and the NTSB will be investigating the incident.
