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[Pursuivant]

Hydraulic failure would also account for the plane flipping to the right from the Propeller Rotation. And its a possibility that, from hydraulic failure, that elevator trim tab came off.

Stratodog and Congo have explained why this isn't a possibility, but torque from the engine (which was probably running flat out) is another explanation for the roll to the right.

Just about anything from a Murdoch-owned media outlet, like Fox News, should be taken with extreme skepticism unless there's confirmation from another source. The seat is just about the last thing that's going to fail on an airplane under normal conditions. I think that Hawker445 is absolutely right; G-forces knocked Leeward out and he slumped down in his seat as his plane dove in.

Of course, his body slumping down might have helped push the stick forward, which would help explain the steep dive angle.

[chivasregal]

if the seat had a mechanical positioning adjustment its possible that it slided back but why the tailwheel is down?there is a lot of possibility.

i think only God knows what happened at he moment.maybe one of the injured people can tell us more detail if he/she saw something.

[razor1uk]

  Hydraulically 'boosted' or powered controls only really became 'normal' on jet or shaft-turbine powered aircraft during mid 50's, and only really got '2 Axis' hydraulic auto stabilitising in late 50's, with '3 Axis' in mid 60's.

  As for fox news, its more likey they're pressuring the crew for ideas, and its journalists don't understand what they're meaning, so they write it up with them as idiots to cover the papers own idiots, and still put a 'sales' spin on the story.

[chivasregal]

journalists can make everything for money

[Stratodog]

Ugghh im tired of fox news. Their entire crew doesn't know what they are talking about.

Me too.  Especially that reporter.  In a previous report he said that "the P-51, back in WWII, could not even come close to 400mph"  That, along with nearly every other "fact" in his report was wrong.  I seriously doubt that any other news outlet could do better either.  I was watching CNN on the night of the crash, and it was just bad, bad, bad.  I think they like to use words like "snap roll" and "stall" because they sound good and make the audience go wow! 

[congo]

Most WWII fighters did not have fore and aft adjustment on their seats just up and down though i don't believe the P-51,s had this either. Most had adjustable rudder pedals. That is one of the reasons the USAAC had height and weight requirements for pilot training. Most Aircraft from that time period had aerodynamically boosted controls not hydraulically boosted. Aircraft use engine oil for a hydraulic medium and receive their pressure from a pump mounted in the base of the prop govenor and have nothing to do with the hydraulic system or the engine driven hydraulic pump.

[Thunda]

Ok- I think this new video about clears it up I guess: (Warning- pretty graphic video)



Despite the name of the video, its not about the T28 that went down, but the Reno crash- check out at 1.05- clearly visible is a detached trim tab which would have cause a loss of control which, at that height and speed, was unrecoverable. Still doesnt explain the tail wheel being extended, but if, as has been stated here earlier, the tail wheel is only held in place by a cable with a latch on, its concievable that the G's forced it down.

[SAS~Storebror]

Holy cow, youtube account deleted within a minute after you've posted the link, that's damn fast

Best regards - Mike

[Thunda]

Wow- it was a news piece on 'Today.com'. It was  pretty graphic- whole new camera angle from almost directly behind the impact in the stands- closer than the 'Wilson' footage, looking down onto the impact site- the camera man was lucky to survive IMHO. They did play it back in slo-mo which was a bit un-called for, but the piece about the elevator trim tab was a still photo, and very clear. Seems the aircraft had a video camera on it too, but whether they can retrieve anything from it, who knows.

Terrible year for airshow crashes...........

[SAS~Storebror]

Oh yes, just watched the original one on today.com.
This is the youtube version being available currently, but missing the still pic which shows the missing trim tab.
However it seems to be the same vid being taken from the same guy:


Best regards - Mike

[razor1uk]

GregP speaks again, with details @WW2Aircraft.net

[Wildchild]

God this is a horrible year for aviation. Also, there was a video on YouTube that showed Jimmy supposedly flying out of the plane... I didn't see it because I don't have a YouTube account. If you can find it, please post it...

Also, I don't believe he had fell forward. If so, we would have seen his helmet at the very least. AND when coming down his head should be pinned back against the seat. Something there doesn't add up either.

Missing trim tab, no pilot visible, tail wheel down... Something is not right here and I can't think of one single thing that would cause all 3 of these to happen...