Fatal collision that killed 2 pilots brings a tragic end to the Reno air show and confounds experts

abcnews.go.com:

Aviation experts say it was likely a visibility issue that caused two racing pilots to collide in mid-air while preparing to land in Reno last weekend

RENO, Nev. — The mid-air collision that killed two racing pilots in Reno last weekend is confounding aviation experts.

The first- and second-place winning pilots, both Californians, crashed Sunday at the National Air Race Championships, possibly because of an aircraft blind spot, glare from the sun or even a brief moment of lost focus, experts said.

But many are dumbfounded by the fact that such experienced pilots who’d raced their T-6 warbirds at the same site so many times couldn't navigate trouble just seconds away from safely returning to the tarmac at Reno-Stead Airport.

“Honestly, it is very hard for me to find an explanation for how those two expert pilots ended up in the same piece of airspace at the same time,” Reno Air Racing Association CEO Fred Telling said.

Telling, who raced T-6s for 10 years, doubts there was a mechanical failure because someone would have radioed “Mayday.”

Both pilots made brief radio transmissions just before colliding, so a health episode seems unlikely.

It was an abrupt end to what was to be the celebrated finale of Reno’s run as the home of the national championships since 1964.

“Obviously, a tragedy for all concerned and the fact it occurred after the last race of the last day of the last Reno air show is just beyond belief,” said Scott Miller, an aviation professor at San Jose State University and civilian flight instructor for 30 years.

“Like many pilots and spectators, when I first heard about it, I assumed the accident occurred during the race itself, not during landing sequence," he said. “Really surprised and shocked.”

Telling