NTSB Provides Recommendations from Air Show Crash Investigation

On September 16, 2011, a plane crash at a Reno, Nevada air show left 11 people dead and over 60 seriously injured. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the accident and recently made a number of safety recommendations to help prevent such an accident in the future. Recommendations were made to the (1) National Air Racing Group Unlimited Division, (2) Reno Air Racing Association, and (3) Federal Aviation Administration.

An Associated Press article explains that it appears the pilot in the Reno accident experienced a force of 9 gs, which incapacitated him and led to the crash. Several of NTSB’s recommendations focused on pilot safety during high g-force periods including providing high g-force training and evaluating the feasibility of wearing g suits when racing at air shows. Other safety recommendations included (1) developing a system to track pre-race technical inspection discrepancies and verify that the discrepancies are resolved, (2) changing course layout to protect spectators, and (3) requiring pilots to provide an engineering evaluation showing that any plane modifications are structurally sound.