(Image Source: Reno Gazette-Journal/ courtesy of Ward Howes)

BY EVAN BUSH 

ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE 

Tragedy in Reno, Nevada -- a racing plane crashes off course and into an area filled with spectators.

MSNBC has the story:

“What looked like a scene from a Hollywood movie, but it was all too frightening real.

“The moment of the crash was captured on video. The camera picks up other planes racing by the stands at low altitude and then one aircraft plunges into the ground near the end of the stands.”

The plane, a WWII era P-51 mustang nicknamed the ‘Galloping Ghost’, was flown by experienced stunt and race pilot Jimmy Leeward. The 74 year-old was a real estate mogul from Florida. Although it’s not clear why the plane crashed, a spectator tells CNN, Leeward did the best he could to prevent this tragedy:

“That pilot, In the last two seconds, pulled up because he saw the bleachers. And I would guess he probably saved 200 to 300 other people. And I don’t mean any disrespect to the injured, but I would consider him a hero.”

Reno’s KRNV reports the pilot’s family was on site for the horrific crash:

“The pilot, Jimmy Leeward, his family was here today, so they did witness this crash. Hard to imagine what that must have been like for them. The family also told Mike Houghton, we’re told, they wanted the air races to continue this week.”

That won’t be happening -- organizers called off the rest of the races, the airport is temporarily closed, and as the Reno Gazette-Journal reports, the National Transportation Safety Board is on site investigating.

“A three-person team was already at the Reno Stead Airport, where the air races take place, in case of a crash. This was the first fatal crash at the air races since 2007, when three pilots crashed during the event. This was the first crash in the event’s history to involve spectators.”

CBS News interviewed former National Transportation Safety Board chairman Mark Rosenker, who offers some possibilities for what could have happened.

"A number of things could have gone wrong, either operationally -- it could have had a high-speed stall, he could have had some parts that may have failed - (or) he may have had a medical condition. Nothing will be off the table when the board begins its investigation."

A memorial for Jimmy Leeward, the pilot, is scheduled for Saturday. The Los Angeles Times reports at least 19 people have died at the Reno air races since 1972.

Transcript by Newsy.com