Reno Racer Dies In Runway Accident

John Parker, who has raced in the Sport Class at Reno since its inception was killed in a crash on Tuesday in his iconic aircraft

Plane & Pilot

Thursday, May 03, 2018 at 10:12 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Renowned Reno air racer and aircraft builder John Parker, 80, died in a crash at Reno-Stead Airport.
Parker was flying a Thunder Mustang, a scale P-51 replica that his company specialized in, when it flipped over on the runway; the accident cause is under NTSB investigation.
A distinguished figure in the air racing community and a retired airline pilot, Parker won the Sport Class four times and the Formula One class three times.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Are you an aviation enthusiast or pilot?Sign up for our newsletter, full of tips, reviews and much more!

John Parker, courtesy of his Facebook page

Reno racer and aircraft builder John Parker died in a crash on Tuesday evening at Reno-Stead Airport. He was 80 years old.

Parker’s business, American Air Racing, specialized in the Thunder Mustang scale P-51 replica and popular Sport Class entrant. It was a Thunder Mustang that Parker was flying when it flipped over on the runway. The cause of the accident has yet to be determined. The NTSB is investigating the accident.

Parker won the Sport Class at the National Air Races four times and the Formula One class three times in the 1970s. He was a retired airline pilot and well known in the Reno area and the air racing community.

The Thunder Mustang is a kitbuilt, all-composite Mustang replica that costs just under $300,000. The plane is powered by a Falconer V-12 engine that produces 640 horsepower. The max weight of the airplane is 3,200 pounds, giving it a very high power to weight ratio giving it a maximum level speed of 340 knots, according to the company that produces the kits.