On September 16, 2011, a highly modified North American P-51D Mustang racing aircraft called The Galloping Ghost crashed at the Reno Air Races in Reno, Nevada. The plane lost control after part of its left elevator trim tab system failed due to worn and loosened locknuts, causing aerodynamic flutter at racing speeds. This led to the pilot, Jimmy Leeward, experiencing extreme g-forces (estimated at 17 g), which incapacitated him. The aircraft pitched up abruptly, rolled inverted, and then nosedived into the spectator area at over 400 mph, killing the pilot and ten spectators, and injuring about 69 others. The crash was the third deadliest airshow disaster in U.S. history
. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found that undocumented and untested modifications to the aircraft contributed to the accident. The race was immediately canceled after the crash. Following the investigation, the NTSB issued several safety recommendations to improve future air races, including changes to course layout to increase distance from spectators, stricter pre-race inspections, and better oversight of aircraft modifications
. The disaster highlighted the risks of highly modified racing aircraft operating at extreme speeds close to crowds and led to significant legal settlements for victims and survivors
