Second airshow crash in US in 24h

Added by Gary Dunn on September 18, 2011

A vintage aircraft participating in an airshow in West Virginia crashed into a runway on Saturday, the second fatal airshow crash in the US in 24h.

Unlike a previous crash in Reno, Nevada which claimed nine lives and injured scores, no spectators were injured in this crash as a result of safety measures enacted by the US Federal Aviation Administration to ensure the safety of those on the ground.

Witnesses reported the plane crossed the path of another plane and struck the ground at a 45 degree angle.

The aircraft was a single engine T-28, a training plane used by the US Navy, had its first flight in 1949.

The crash occurred at Martinsburg, West Virginia, during the Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Air Show.

The pilot of the plane has been identified as John Mangan of Concord, North Carolina.

Investigators from the US National Transportation and Safety Board say they may release a preliminary report within 10 days, yet they do not expect to address the cause of the crash in the report.

The Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Air Show was first held in 2010 and benefits the United Way of the Eastern Panhandle. The show generated about $125,000 for charitable causes in 2010.