Two experienced racing pilots deviated from their expected flight paths and never saw each other before their World War II-era planes collided on the final day of the 2023 National Championship Air Races, investigators have concluded.
The National Transportation Safety Board issued a final report Wednesday on the crash at Nevada's Reno-Stead Airport that killed California pilots Chris Rushing, 65, and Nick Macy, 67, as they prepared to land.
The report said both pilots failed to fly the standard routes, with one of the pilots taking a wide turn and the other taking a tighter approach. Rushing had just won the T-6 title race at an average speed of 234 mph (376 kph) in his plane named Baron’s Revenge. Macy, in his Six-Cat, had finished second about 15 seconds behind Rushing.
Officials in the control tower had cleared Rushing to land and had also been in contact with Macy, but the report said “operating procedures provided no distinct procedures for tower personnel to provide traffic separation.”
Rushing was likely focused on the runway when Macy approached from the right, and the sun might have been in his eyes if he looked in that direction, the report said. The two collided about 300 feet (91 meters) above the ground.
Aviation industry experts said in the days after the crash they were dumbfounded that such experienced pilots ended up colliding. Toxicology tests showed that neither pilot had abused any drugs.
The collision brought an end to what was to be the celebrated finale of Reno’s run as the home of the national championships since 1964. Including Rushing and Macy, 24 pilots or performers died at the Reno races across those decades, along with 10 spectators who died during a crash on the edge of the grandstand in 2011.
The event is scheduled to return later this month in Roswell, New Mexico.
FILE - In this photo provided by Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, in Reno, Nev., members of Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue and other officials look over aircraft wreckage, Sept. 17, 2023, in Reno, after two California pilots were killed when their planes collided in mid-air after completing a race at the National Championship Air Races north of the city. (Adam R. Mayberry/Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue via AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette and the New York Mets agreed Friday to a $126 million, three-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced.
A two-time All-Star at shortstop with the Toronto Blue Jays, Bichette will move to third base with the Mets, who have Francisco Lindor at shortstop. Bichette has never played a professional game at the hot corner.
Bichette can opt out of the deal after the first or second season to become a free agent again. He would receive $47 million for one year and $89 million for two years, the person said.
The deal does not contain any deferred money and Bichette gets a full no-trade provision. His $42 million average annual value ties for the sixth-highest in baseball history.
It was the latest big development in an eventful offseason for the Mets, who angered fans by letting popular slugger Pete Alonso and star closer Edwin Díaz leave in free agency. President of baseball operations David Stearns also traded two other stalwarts in outfielder Brandon Nimmo and versatile veteran Jeff McNeil — both homegrown players.
New York signed closer Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, infielder Jorge Polanco to a $40 million, two-year deal and reliever Luke Weaver to a $22 million, two-year agreement.
Although he lacks Alonso's prodigious power, Bichette is a proven hitter with lightning-fast hands and a penchant for line-drive doubles. He would give the Mets a dangerous right-handed bat to help complement lefty slugger Juan Soto.
Because of his inexperience at third, however, Bichette becomes the latest question mark in the field for New York even though Stearns has insisted the team must improve its defense and is determined to do so.
Polanco has one pitch of major league experience at first base, where he and Mark Vientos, previously a third baseman, are the leading candidates to replace Alonso.
New York had planned to start Brett Baty at third, where he provides a strong glove. Baty, who also has experience at second base, is viewed as a versatile defender who could see time in the outfield and perhaps at first.
Or, the Mets could look to trade Baty for pitching or outfield help. Gold Glove winner Marcus Semien is set to play second after arriving from Texas in a November trade for Nimmo.
Bichette batted .311 with 18 home runs, 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS in 139 games for the Blue Jays last year. He homered off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Late last season, Bichette sprained his left knee in a Sept. 6 collision with New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells, keeping the infielder out of the lineup until the World Series. He returned for Game 1 against the Dodgers and played second base for the first time in six years.
Bichette led the American League in hits in 2021 and 2022. He finished second in the major leagues in batting average last season to Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.
Bichette turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer from the Blue Jays in November, so they would receive an extra draft pick in July after the fourth round if he completes his deal with the Mets.
New York would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest draft picks, along with $1 million in 2027 international signing bonus pool allocation.
Bichette was one of the last remaining big-name hitters on the free agent market after outfielder Kyle Tucker spurned the Mets and agreed Thursday to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Dodgers.
Bichette, who turns 28 in March, has spent his entire career with the Blue Jays since they selected him in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. He is a .294 career hitter with 111 home runs and an .806 OPS in 748 major league games.
He is a son of former big league slugger Dante Bichette, a four-time All-Star outfielder.
AP Baseball Writers Ronald Blum and David Brandt and AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
FILE - Toronto Blue Jays' Bo Bichette celebrates his three run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning in Game 7 of baseball's World Series, Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Toronto. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
FILE - New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns responds to questions during a news conference about MLB trade deadline deals, Tuesday, July 30, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith, File)
