A World War II-era plane crashed into a box-seat area near a grandstand at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nev., sending debris flying and causing what race officials called "a mass casualty situation."
At least three people died, including Jimmy Leeward, 74, the pilot of the crashed plane, and more than 50 injured people were taken to local hospitals, according to officials.
Video of the crash at approximately 4:20 p.m. local time showed the plane, known as the Galloping Ghost, suddenly lurching vertically into the air and then coming down on the crowd.
"You could see that he tried to pull back under and try and miss as many people as possible," said Carly Holmes, who was watching the race from bleacher seats, according to ABC News Radio. "He missed the bleachers but he hit the crowd.
"You see everyone stand up," Holmes said. "And you didn't know which direction to go because you didn't know where the plane was going. We just saw the plane hit."
The AP cited video that showed bodies and wreckage at the front of the stands. Witnesses described survivors with missing body parts and other extreme injuries.
A total of 56 people were taken to three local hospitals, Stephanie Kruse, a spokeswoman for the Regional Emergency Medical Service Authority, told The Associated Press. At the time of transport, 15 were considered in critical condition, 13 were serious condition with potentially life-threatening injuries and 28 were non-serious or non-life threatening.
Air Race official Mike Houghton later put the number of injured taken to hospitals at 54 people. He would not say how many people were killed.
Soon after the accident, Renown Hospital in Reno went into "code triage" and was told to expect 80 to 1oo people, ABC News affiliate KOLO in Reno reported, but the hospital later said it admitted 22 people, two of whom died. Some victims went to other hospitals.
Multiple FAA inspectors were observing the air race when the plane, a P-51 Mustang, crashed, leaving a wide debris field, according to Ian Gregor of the FAA.
"Pieces everywhere," Holmes said. "You hear everybody just in horrible pain, screaming, running. … It was horrific to watch."
Connie Camit had just left the grandstand for a refreshment stand with two of her children, 14 and 5, according to ABC News Radio.
"Just as we were standing there, we heard this big crash, turned around and I seen airplane pieces, parts flying everywhere," she said. "We just heard everybody screaming, sirens. It was just chaos, complete chaos."
The National Transportation Safety Board will launch a team to investigate the crash. Some NTSB staff members already were on the site, and the entire team was expected to launch at 2 a.m. Saturday.
The remainder of the National Championship Air Races were canceled, race officials said, citing the death of Leeward, a real estate developer from Ocala, Fla., and other casualties.
"Concerned family members should call 775.972.6663 and Air Race staff is working to locate and establish the status of all involved," race officials said in a written statement.
ABC News' Matt Hosford contributed to this report.
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