Two pilots were killed Sunday when their planes crashed as they were landing during an air racing event in Reno, Nevada, the Reno Air Racing Association said.
The crash occurred around 2:15 p.m. local time in a “landing accident” following the T-6 Gold Race at the National Championship Air Races, the association said. The planes collided in mid-air, the Federal Aviation Administration said, and the wreckage of the planes ended up about a half mile from each other, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The pilots were identified by the air racing association as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing. The association described both men as “expertly skilled pilots and Gold winners in the T-6 Class.”
The T-6 is a single-engine propeller plane that’s used for training by both the U.S. Air Force and Navy, according to the Air Force.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the pilots were the only people on board the planes. There were no reports of further deaths or injuries.
The remainder of the races at the event were canceled following the crash.
“I am completely devastated and heartbroken today,” Fred Telling, chairman of the Reno Air Racing Association and president of the T-6 class, said in a statement. “These two pilots weren’t just an integral part of the National Championship Air Race family, they were a part of my family. My heart goes out to their own families and to all of the spectators and fans who have so enthusiastically supported us this week.”
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