A coworker of mine was there watching the races. She had been there all week and was near the impact of this unfortunate incident. This is what she said in her email ....
“The crash occurred about 500 feet from where we were sitting and I’ve never seen anything that horrible. As the planes were making there first lap, we saw The Grey Ghost pull up right above us in a typical “mayday” move. I was filming the race as the planes came past us and saw the Galloping Ghost pull up at an impossible angle, and then it turned end-over-end and then was heading, nose down, right at us. It looked like the pilot was doing everything he could do to get it away from the stands before he hit the ground right at the front of the box seats. Once he hit, the plane just disappeared. No smoke, no fire.”
Not sure if this adds anything to the conversation, but I thought I’d throw that in as an eyewitness report that was close to being one of the victims.
Whew. Close one, thanks for the detail.
You refer to the plane being on it’s first lap.....
EVERY other witness account & according to 3 people I personally talked to today at a horse race who were also there, the planes were on their third lap of 7 of a qualifying heat.