Two pilots were killed Sunday after their planes collided while landing at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada, the race organizers confirmed.
The Reno Air Racing Association (RARA) said the accident occurred Sunday afternoon at the end of the T-6 Gold race. The pilots of each plane, later identified as Nick Macy and Chris Rushing, were killed, the association said Sunday night in a Facebook post.
RARA said there were no civilian causalities and the remainder of the races have been canceled.
“Both expertly skilled pilots and Gold winners in the T-6 Class, Macy piloted Six-Cat and Rushing flew Baron’s Revenge,” the association wrote on social media.
“I am completely devastated and heartbroken today,” Fred Telling, chairman of the Reno Air Racing Association and president of the T-6 Class, wrote 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.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed to The Hill the accident occurred around 2:45 p.m. while both pilots were aboard their aircrafts while midair. The FAA said it will investigate the crash alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
In a statement shared with The Hill, the NTSB said the wreckage of each plane was located a half mile from one another. Two NTSB investigators were called to the scene for the on-portion part of the investigation, NTSB said, adding that the wreckage will likely be moved to an off-site facility for further investigation.
RARA said it is cooperating with the FAA, the NTSB and local authorities as they try to determine a cause of the accident.