Kellene StockwellChannel 2 News
Moments after the deadly Reno Air Races crash, a group of men jumped in to help with their vintage Huey helicopter.
"As soon as you heard the thud. ‘Cause you just knew something was wrong," says pilot Brent Marker.
Marker along with Ray Murphy and Chris Miller were all at the 47th annual National Championship Air Races with their vintage chopper on September 16th.
Within minutes they brought the Huey out of retirement – transporting victims to Pickett Park across from Renown Regional Medical Center. "Someone requested ‘can you help.' Basically our team jumped into action. We got the wheels on the helicopter. The group that was next to us came over and helped everyone push it out onto the tarmac," says helicopter co-owner Chris Miller.
They pushed the 6,000 pound aircraft up a slope.
Everyone they transported that day survived – and this crew says they're happy the Huey was up to the task. "The old baby did it. And I was pleased to have been there to watch her do it," says pilot Murphy.
Murphy has been flying since 1966, including two tours in Vietnam a career in the U.S. Army and with the FAA. He's part of a team based out of Buchanan Air Field.
Eleven people died when pilot Jimmy Leeward crashed his modified WWII-era P-51 Mustang dubbed the ‘Galloping Ghost' nose-first into a section of VIP box seats.
