US: Two planes collide at Reno Air Show in Nevada, both pilots killed

“Around 2:15 p.m. this afternoon (Sunday), at the conclusion of the T-6 Gold race, upon landing, two planes collided and it has been confirmed that both pilots are deceased,” the Reno Air Racing Association said in a statement posted on Facebook.

In a later statement, organisers identified the two pilots as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing, the CNN reported.

“Both expertly skilled pilots and Gold winners in the T-6 Class, Macy piloted Six-Cat and Rushing flew Baron’s Revenge,” the statement said. “Families of both pilots have been notified and support services are onsite as they deal with this tragedy.”

No other injuries were reported, it said, adding the remainder of the races were cancelled.

In a statement, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration said that it is carrying out an investigation to find the cause of the crash, CNN reported. The agency identified the two aircraft as North American T-6G and North American AT-6B and said they had just completed the race.

NTSB said, “The wreckage of each plane came to rest one-half mile from each other,” adding the wreckage would be taken to an off-site facility for analysis.”

Event organisers said they are cooperating with the NTSB and “all local authorities to identify the cause of the accident and ensure that all of our pilots, spectators and volunteers have the necessary support during this time,” according to CNN.

The event, which has been running for more than five decades, prides itself in being an “institution for northern Nevada and aviation enthusiasts from around the world,” according to its website. Over the past decade, the event has brought more than a million spectators.

Updated: 18 Sep 2023, 09:18 AM IST