The news link about the crash:

http://www.mscnews.net/news/index.cfm?nk=62736

As many know, Vlado Lenoch was a major contributor to the A2A P-51D Accusim model.

My prayers go out for the peaceful repose of Vlado and his remaining family and friends. My prayers also extend to Bethany Root and her family. She was a passenger in the P-51 at the time of the crash. She was the General Manager for Atchison's Amelia Earhart Airport.

Vaya Con Dios Vlado and Bethany.

Every time I fly the A2A T-6 or P-51 I will remember Vlado.

TJ

Sad to see anyone go in a aeroplane accident and, whilst it pales into insignificance in comparison to the loss of some people, kind of sad to see a venerable old P51 go too. But far more importantly of course, condolences to friends and family.

In the wider scheme of things, it will be interesting to learn what the cause was (should the NTSB be able to determine that, which is never guaranteed), because it's my understanding that he was a very experienced warbird pilot indeed. No point on speculating on that until the facts are in needless to say, could have been anything from mechanical to medical, almost certainly not weather-related based on the conditions at the time, which it seems were very good.

Sad news indeed.

Prayers to Vlado and Bethany and their families and loved ones. God's peace and comfort to all.

A preliminary interview with an NTSB investigator revealed that there was a witness to the crash (a nearby resident) and whilst naturally enough, the NTSB are not going to start speculating on what might be the cause, apparently the witness saw the aircraft pull up sharply when it was about to hit some power lines at about 30 feet AGL, then it rolled to the left (presumably an aysmmetric stall from the pull up) and then it nosed in.