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Horrific New Video Shows Close-Up of Reno Plane As it Crashed

Horrific New Video Shows Close-Up of Reno Plane As it Crashed

NBC News unveiled new, shocking video this morning showing a new angle of the horrific Reno Air Race crash.

The new footage was taken from almost immediately below the plane as it careened to the ground. It offers an eerie view of the plane's belly right before it strikes the ground:

The video comes as some new details are emerging about the incident. The death toll has now risen to 10 and officials now believe they have found a flight data recorder as well as video equipment from the crashed plane. NBC reports on the findings (thumbnail is the same but video is different):

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In addition to the new information about the possible camera, the Daily Mail (via ABC) is reporting that the pilot may have been unconscious during the moments before the crash:

ABC News consultant and former pilot Steve Ganyard said that after examining pictures of the plane before it hit the ground, it appeared Leeward was not conscious.

He said: 'There is no pilot's head in that cockpit.

'It tells me that he was likely unconscious, slumped over the controls.'

The Daily Mail also reports that pictures taken of the plane during its final moments show a possible piece missing from the tail. That could could also be a key piece of evidence in the investigation:

Investigators have been focusing on the 'elevator trim tab' - a piece of the tail that helps the aircraft maintain lift and appeared to break off before the crash.

[...]

Investigators said they also recovered part of the tail section, where the tab is located.

As investigators look for answers, a photograph has emerged showing that a piece of the tail was missing before the aircraft plummeted to the ground.

NTSB spokesman Mark Rosekind said at a news conference: 'Pictures and video appear to show a piece of the plane was coming off.

'A component has been recovered. We have not identified the component or if it even came from the airplane ... We are going to focus on that.'

Tim O'Brien of Grass Valley, California, who is chairman of an air show in his hometown and photographed Friday's races, took the picture which shows the part missing.

He said pilot Jimmy Leeward's P-51 was racing six other planes and was in the process of moving from third place into second when it pitched violently upward, rolled and then headed straight down.

Here's the picture:

This story has been updated with more information.

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