Jimmy Leeward died on September 16, 2011, when his aircraft went off course and crashed into the crowd at the National Championship Air Races at Reno Stead Airport, northwest of Reno, Nevada, killing 11 and injuring 58 spectators. Early eyewitness news accounts, as reported on CNN, said that it appeared Leeward knew he was going to crash and tried to avoid the grandstands
James Kent "Jimmy" Leeward (October 21, 1936 – September 16, 2011) was an American air racer, owner of the Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, Florida, and the pilot of the heavily modified North American P-51 Mustang racing aircraft, The Galloping Ghost. Jimmy Leeward had several film credits as a stunt pilot, actor, crew and himself.
Nevada air show death toll rises to 10
The death toll from a crash at an air race at Reno, Nevada, has risen to 10, one of the hospitals treating patients from Friday's accident said Monday.
Close to 70 people were injured in the incident, which occurred Friday.
National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind said investigators are looking at whether the plane's apparently damaged elevator trim tab - whose breaking apart was captured in a photograph - played a role in the nosedive crash. Authorities do not know why the aircraft went down.
A full investigation could take six to nine months, Rosekind said.
Investigators will be poring over a trove of spectators' videos and photos, he said.
CNN.COM, 19/9/2011
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