This is the absolute best air racing tape that I have ever seen, and I have looked at a few. The engine starts, the sounds of the engines running @ takeoff power: you captured it all, not to mention the exact instant at which the late Jimmy Leeward's Galloping Ghost departed controlled flight, never to return. You have a gift, Voodoo 1650, God bless you.
I am sure that you have helped the NTSB immensely with their investigation.
@clutchcrgo Thanks Clutch, very much appreciated!!! You're correct, I have been in contact with the NTSB and have given them all the footage I shot of the plane from this year.
this is the best video footage that i have seen before the crash. RIP Jimmy and all those who passed. certainly the trim tab was to blame after watching this peice. thanks
and I agree pilot or spectator we all know the risks that go hand in hand with the love of flight and wouldn't change it for the world, fortunately for my family we never suffered any fatalities in my family while watching my cousin when he was with our RCAF Snowbird team, and even luckier we still have my cousin "Bob" with us after an awesome career..safe flying friends:}
@Voodoo1650 Thank-you Voodoo 1650..I hope next year is uneventfull and a much better time is had by all! Now I have to pick a new racer to root for..Likely, Voodoo, or young Steve Hinton Jr. and Strega, but Ghost and Jimmy will always in my heart and be number 1..
could have not blacked out during the turn? gained conciousness realised the plane was banked to hard and reacted by sharply pitching up inducing the stall?
he hit a soft air pocket,,the plane waffled,,,he was inexperienced at flying at this speed....he over-corrected...the plane took over...the steep climb forced the back gear down,,(it was not down prior to the climb)...the violent climb,,crushed his seat....the trim tab then breaks off..it had been 'glued' to keep plane at a downward angle....plane stalls out for a second....no way to recover at that level of flight,,like a stone in the air..it fell...to earth.
Jimmy was a highly experienced unlimited racer, been flying P51 type aircraft for over 30 years. Trim tab was not glued, appears your knowledge was limited. First pitch up was 11G he went unconscious-tailwheel uplock failed at 8G, second pitch, after trim tab separated, went to 25G's from the telemetry gear. Initial pitchup might have been related to wing tip vortices from racer ahead combined with winds. The safety chairman of the unlimited has explained all this to more knowledgeable pilots
@BE36pilot... i forwarded your reply to my dad, to analysis your theory. he has more consecutive unlimited races at reno...than anyone else. i think it stood at 23 years in a row, and i feel he would be qualified enough to give his opinion too...right?...right.
@CHUCKLOVES1969 An old friend, a former long time head of the Competition Committee said Jimmy was universally well thought of as an experienced unlimited racer and had been for the almost 30 years he had known him. The VP of the Unlimited Racing Class and head of the Safety Committee believes the cause of the crash was possibly due to The Galloping Ghost having a CG too close to the aft limit which resulted in pitch instability. They were using a tank in the aft tank position for coolant
@BE36pilot I wonder if the aft tank or pilot seat attachment failed? This video shows the tail wheel extending rapidly at the moment of loss of control, and we know Jimmy's head was not visible in many photos, possibly also this video right after loss of control. Sudden change of CG when the internal structure somehow failed, suddenly dumping the pilot down out of sight?
With the initial pull-up(11G) exceeding the tail wheel down lock limits of 8.5G followed by an over 25G pitch the failure of seat or aft tank attachments used for coolant would be logical. I understand that in cockpit video shows Jimmy unconscious slumped down in the corner of the cockpit. The current thinking is that the root cause CG related not the trim tab failure.
Jimmy was very experienced long time race pilot & QB, everyone I talked to thought very highly of him.
I agree with you - The plane rolled left, and it looks like he over corrected and then pitched up. The questions are; why did it sharply roll left? Why did it pitch up? After it pitched up, I think he went out and then it snapped or torque rolled right and went in.
As soon as I get this armchair to taxi out, I'll take another look at it. Bill
@billville111 my dad..who's a very famous p-51 race pilot....insists that when he was flying hard left bank..the plane went into a high-speed stall....that everything that happened at that mirco-second,,was the planes own action and that he had nothing to do with it's behavior. that he was dead when the plane pitched up so hard from a broken neck,,the seat collapsed ...and the end was the crash into the cement.
This is the greatest race in the world. And to be a part of it, each pilot has to accept the risks that are an inherent part of low level high speed racing. As a pilot we all accept that risk of flight each time we strap in and push that switch that sends us into one of the greatest adventures in life.. The freedom of flight. God speed Mr. Leeward on.. He will be missed. The Greenhornet
At 7:38 Jimmy went to sleep. The g's were enough to snap the tail gear retaining pin. Few humans could stay awake during a "g" load like that. Thank you for the tasteful video of Jimmy's last dance,he was an amazing person and pilot. R.I.P.
@dirac33 It is painful but at the same time I'd rather see them "whored out" then sitting in a hangar or some other place where its just been left to rot.
I have to completely disagree. Mustangs like this is like someone taking a pontiac GTO and turning it into a Pro stock funny car. There are plenty of mustangs that still look the way they did back in 1944, and there are plenty that are sitting in hangars looking pretty. Let them race. I love these planes. Nothing sexier than a P-51 with clipped wings and an F-1 canopy.
@DoomsDaySlip Well he trashed its aerodynamics, and it responded by trashing some spectators and the owner. The plane can be seen oscillating about its roll axis - right before he comes to the horizon line a small roll right, then two more before tucking the left wing and pitching up. That plane was beyond its envelope. The Mustang the came before at the same speed on the same course, flew perfectly.
@dirac33 Little things break. Apparently its down to the trim tab. It's happened before and the pilot survived. unfortunately this time the scenario didn't play out that way. It doesn't matter whether or not it was outside it's envelope. The Galloping Ghost was professionally modified, and it was built to take the stresses of air racing. The aeros weren't trashed, most of these planes share the same attributes. It comes back to what I said before. little things break. RIP Jimmy
I do not know if it's right after such an accident (I myself am a big fan of the Reno Air Race and was the Galloping Ghost my favorit) ask for the soundtrack! .. I liked both songs but especially at the end! .. can someone tell me how hot maybe the songs?
Thank you for putting up this video. I saw a similar roll of the ghost as he passed the home pylon on the previous lap. I seem to remember hearing some of the earlier racers say that the air was really rough on Friday with a lot of turbulence. I hope that they are able to figure out why this happened so it never happens again. We lost a lot of great people that day.
So sad.. It's clear there's an awful lot going wrong at the same time and from the point roll right it seems Jimmy was working hard to bring things back under control. Thanks for posting. Much respect to Jimmy, all who lost their lives, AND all those that have been hurt in this terrible accident.
@rampking1 Oh please - this dude was a moron for chopping up a perfectly good Mustang so he could pretend to be 30 (dyed his hair like a girl, for chrissakes). He f--ked up the airplane and then it f--ked him up. Unfortunately he took some spectators with him.
@rampking1 He had roll instability! What does that tell you?? He changed the envelope of this airplane and it bit him. Unfortunately it bit 11 innocent people as well - smashed them to atoms. I saw one dude with his leg blown off at the crotch. That's all on Leeward. Pilot error, in the shop and in the sky.
8:59 you can see the tail piece start to flake off...
DumboRats8998 1 week ago
which plane at the start is the same one that crashed?
GoPro1997 1 week ago
@GoPro1997
It's the silver P-51, race # 177.
Voodoo1650 1 week ago
@Voodoo1650 thanks :)
GoPro1997 4 days ago
They are so much more awesome than jets
XLosSantosX 1 week ago
Voodoo: I really enjoyed your video... Who was on the blow harp at the end of the video...?
chimandude 4 weeks ago in playlist Liked videos
@chimandude
Hi chimandude, that would be Hans Olson and the song is "Western Winds" you can find his songs and CD's on Amazon. Glad you enjoyed the video
Voodoo1650 4 weeks ago
A great video for someone like me who has to know why.
4thgenpilot 1 month ago
R.I.P. Jimmy, Spectators and Ghost.
Perfect photographer. You stopped capturing at the right moment !!!
★ ⓉⓊⓂⒷⓈ . ⓊⓅ ★
MFGKirchdorf 1 month ago
This is the absolute best air racing tape that I have ever seen, and I have looked at a few. The engine starts, the sounds of the engines running @ takeoff power: you captured it all, not to mention the exact instant at which the late Jimmy Leeward's Galloping Ghost departed controlled flight, never to return. You have a gift, Voodoo 1650, God bless you.
I am sure that you have helped the NTSB immensely with their investigation.
Clutch
clutchcrgo 2 months ago 2
@clutchcrgo Thanks Clutch, very much appreciated!!! You're correct, I have been in contact with the NTSB and have given them all the footage I shot of the plane from this year.
Voodoo1650 2 months ago
1:25 HAHA rare bear owns hippies
TheAspietunes 3 months ago
this is the best video footage that i have seen before the crash. RIP Jimmy and all those who passed. certainly the trim tab was to blame after watching this peice. thanks
johncrazycat 3 months ago
and I agree pilot or spectator we all know the risks that go hand in hand with the love of flight and wouldn't change it for the world, fortunately for my family we never suffered any fatalities in my family while watching my cousin when he was with our RCAF Snowbird team, and even luckier we still have my cousin "Bob" with us after an awesome career..safe flying friends:}
RFKFANTS67 3 months ago
Incredible video very nice! Who's the pilot and owner of the RCN Aircraft?
RFKFANTS67 3 months ago
@RFKFANTS67
here is the website for that particular SeaFury sawbonesair
Voodoo1650 3 months ago
@Voodoo1650 Thank-you Voodoo 1650..I hope next year is uneventfull and a much better time is had by all! Now I have to pick a new racer to root for..Likely, Voodoo, or young Steve Hinton Jr. and Strega, but Ghost and Jimmy will always in my heart and be number 1..
RFKFANTS67 1 month ago
could have not blacked out during the turn? gained conciousness realised the plane was banked to hard and reacted by sharply pitching up inducing the stall?
insanelewis21 3 months ago
he hit a soft air pocket,,the plane waffled,,,he was inexperienced at flying at this speed....he over-corrected...the plane took over...the steep climb forced the back gear down,,(it was not down prior to the climb)...the violent climb,,crushed his seat....the trim tab then breaks off..it had been 'glued' to keep plane at a downward angle....plane stalls out for a second....no way to recover at that level of flight,,like a stone in the air..it fell...to earth.
CHUCKLOVES1969 4 months ago
Jimmy was a highly experienced unlimited racer, been flying P51 type aircraft for over 30 years. Trim tab was not glued, appears your knowledge was limited. First pitch up was 11G he went unconscious-tailwheel uplock failed at 8G, second pitch, after trim tab separated, went to 25G's from the telemetry gear. Initial pitchup might have been related to wing tip vortices from racer ahead combined with winds. The safety chairman of the unlimited has explained all this to more knowledgeable pilots
BE36pilot 3 months ago
@BE36pilot... i forwarded your reply to my dad, to analysis your theory. he has more consecutive unlimited races at reno...than anyone else. i think it stood at 23 years in a row, and i feel he would be qualified enough to give his opinion too...right?...right.
CHUCKLOVES1969 3 months ago
@CHUCKLOVES1969 An old friend, a former long time head of the Competition Committee said Jimmy was universally well thought of as an experienced unlimited racer and had been for the almost 30 years he had known him. The VP of the Unlimited Racing Class and head of the Safety Committee believes the cause of the crash was possibly due to The Galloping Ghost having a CG too close to the aft limit which resulted in pitch instability. They were using a tank in the aft tank position for coolant
BE36pilot 3 months ago
@BE36pilot ,,very interesting,,,i passed it onto my dad,,who has been asked his knowledge/opinion by the investigation teams...and others.
CHUCKLOVES1969 3 months ago
@BE36pilot I wonder if the aft tank or pilot seat attachment failed? This video shows the tail wheel extending rapidly at the moment of loss of control, and we know Jimmy's head was not visible in many photos, possibly also this video right after loss of control. Sudden change of CG when the internal structure somehow failed, suddenly dumping the pilot down out of sight?
bonnydonny 2 months ago
With the initial pull-up(11G) exceeding the tail wheel down lock limits of 8.5G followed by an over 25G pitch the failure of seat or aft tank attachments used for coolant would be logical. I understand that in cockpit video shows Jimmy unconscious slumped down in the corner of the cockpit. The current thinking is that the root cause CG related not the trim tab failure.
Jimmy was very experienced long time race pilot & QB, everyone I talked to thought very highly of him.
RIP Jimmy
BE36pilot 1 month ago
@BE36pilot I agree
4thgenpilot 1 month ago
@CHUCKLOVES1969
I agree with you - The plane rolled left, and it looks like he over corrected and then pitched up. The questions are; why did it sharply roll left? Why did it pitch up? After it pitched up, I think he went out and then it snapped or torque rolled right and went in.
As soon as I get this armchair to taxi out, I'll take another look at it. Bill
billville111 1 month ago
@billville111 my dad..who's a very famous p-51 race pilot....insists that when he was flying hard left bank..the plane went into a high-speed stall....that everything that happened at that mirco-second,,was the planes own action and that he had nothing to do with it's behavior. that he was dead when the plane pitched up so hard from a broken neck,,the seat collapsed ...and the end was the crash into the cement.
CHUCKLOVES1969 1 month ago
Can any one explain the rear landing gear. It is down very early in the turn.
And why did the plane loose controle before the plane is G loaded and Leeward couldn't controle the plane.
Mrgknelly 4 months ago
This is the greatest race in the world. And to be a part of it, each pilot has to accept the risks that are an inherent part of low level high speed racing. As a pilot we all accept that risk of flight each time we strap in and push that switch that sends us into one of the greatest adventures in life.. The freedom of flight. God speed Mr. Leeward on.. He will be missed. The Greenhornet
greenhornet40x 4 months ago
When we fly our planes, no matter how big or small, and go to airshows, we assume the risk, as sad as it is, these things happen.
My condolences to the families who lost loved ones.
hogsnplanes 4 months ago
Why are you telling me your gift for determining this aircraft accident?
Go tell the FAA and NTSB your credentials, methodology and conclusions re: the Galloping Ghost accident.
Come back to this video and tell the whole aviation world what their response was.
rampking1 4 months ago
At 7:38 Jimmy went to sleep. The g's were enough to snap the tail gear retaining pin. Few humans could stay awake during a "g" load like that. Thank you for the tasteful video of Jimmy's last dance,he was an amazing person and pilot. R.I.P.
hizmjst 4 months ago
It's painful to see Mustangs whored out this way.
dirac33 4 months ago
@dirac33 It is painful but at the same time I'd rather see them "whored out" then sitting in a hangar or some other place where its just been left to rot.
That70sShow1Fan 4 months ago
@That70sShow1Fan They are priceless historic artifacts and should be preserved.
dirac33 4 months ago
@dirac33
I have to completely disagree. Mustangs like this is like someone taking a pontiac GTO and turning it into a Pro stock funny car. There are plenty of mustangs that still look the way they did back in 1944, and there are plenty that are sitting in hangars looking pretty. Let them race. I love these planes. Nothing sexier than a P-51 with clipped wings and an F-1 canopy.
DoomsDaySlip 4 months ago
@DoomsDaySlip Well he trashed its aerodynamics, and it responded by trashing some spectators and the owner. The plane can be seen oscillating about its roll axis - right before he comes to the horizon line a small roll right, then two more before tucking the left wing and pitching up. That plane was beyond its envelope. The Mustang the came before at the same speed on the same course, flew perfectly.
dirac33 4 months ago
@dirac33 Little things break. Apparently its down to the trim tab. It's happened before and the pilot survived. unfortunately this time the scenario didn't play out that way. It doesn't matter whether or not it was outside it's envelope. The Galloping Ghost was professionally modified, and it was built to take the stresses of air racing. The aeros weren't trashed, most of these planes share the same attributes. It comes back to what I said before. little things break. RIP Jimmy
DoomsDaySlip 4 months ago
At 8:56 you can see the left horiz trim tab hanging off the back of the stabilizer. At 9:00, the trim is seen falling off the back of the airplane.
glipaz 5 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
You suck donkey balls
turbominivan60 5 months ago
Thanks so much for producing this and sharing it. I met Jimmy at a hangar party a few years back. One of the very best guys!
cujet 5 months ago
Ahh!
You guys are my idol.
Love the start ups and the end.
So powerful and tragic at the same time.
I think the memory should also be to the innocent victims.
god bless.
F-1
p.s. watch people copying Leewards nose dive from your clip.
flyingtigre1 5 months ago
Hey all
I do not know if it's right after such an accident (I myself am a big fan of the Reno Air Race and was the Galloping Ghost my favorit) ask for the soundtrack! .. I liked both songs but especially at the end! .. can someone tell me how hot maybe the songs?
ps .. im from Germany and my english is bad!
SeafireTWA 5 months ago
Thank you for putting up this video. I saw a similar roll of the ghost as he passed the home pylon on the previous lap. I seem to remember hearing some of the earlier racers say that the air was really rough on Friday with a lot of turbulence. I hope that they are able to figure out why this happened so it never happens again. We lost a lot of great people that day.
I'll be back next year.
vanstry 5 months ago
wonderfull Video, may one day another Ghost gets airborne with Jimmys name on it
PaddyPatrone 5 months ago
Awesome video Jason. Thanks for letting me use your footage for our tribute video Im working on. Can't wait to meet you sometime.
ErikJohnston 5 months ago
Great video Jason,vary tasteful.
We'll all miss jimmy.
JOHNLCOOK 5 months ago
"The Ghost Lives"..! I Want To THANK You For This Video....
RemoVegas 5 months ago
So sad.. It's clear there's an awful lot going wrong at the same time and from the point roll right it seems Jimmy was working hard to bring things back under control. Thanks for posting. Much respect to Jimmy, all who lost their lives, AND all those that have been hurt in this terrible accident.
tanstrack 5 months ago
The Spirit of Jimmy Leeward, the lost and injured fans and the Galloping Ghost P-51 will be with us forever and so will Unlimited Air Racing at Reno.
Calm wind and Blue skies forever to all who were lost .
rampking1 5 months ago
@rampking1 Oh please - this dude was a moron for chopping up a perfectly good Mustang so he could pretend to be 30 (dyed his hair like a girl, for chrissakes). He f--ked up the airplane and then it f--ked him up. Unfortunately he took some spectators with him.
dirac33 4 months ago
@dirac33 Thanks, I'll tell the NSTB you have the whole accident figured out and they can go back to Washington.
rampking1 4 months ago
@rampking1 He had roll instability! What does that tell you?? He changed the envelope of this airplane and it bit him. Unfortunately it bit 11 innocent people as well - smashed them to atoms. I saw one dude with his leg blown off at the crotch. That's all on Leeward. Pilot error, in the shop and in the sky.
dirac33 4 months ago