Air show death toll rises amid second tragedy

The death toll in the Nevada air show tragedy has risen to nine - as a second military aircraft crashed at a separate spectator evenOfficials at the Reno air show said the number of fatalities had risen from three to nine, while 50 others remain injured, some critically.the deaths were announced as news emerged of a second crash involving a vintage military plane in West Virginia.The T-28 aircraft crashed mid-afternoon during an acrobatic demonstration at the 2011 Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Open House Air Show in Martinsburg.The pilot, a civilian, was killed, but no-one else was injured, said First Lieutenant Nathan Mueller of the West Virginia Air National Guard.the plane, which crashed onto a runway, and was flying in a formation of six T-28s, was registered to John Mangan of Concord, North Carolina.Witnesses reported seeing a large fireball."All of a sudden I heard my wife say, 'Oh my goodness' and then I heard a boom, like 'clap', and I looked over and there was a ball of fire," said West Virginia Senate Majority leader John Unger, at the air show with his family.The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, officials said. The T-28 plane was used for training by the Navy and Air Force between 1950 and 1984.The crash happened within hours of the tragedy in Nevada when a P-51 Mustang crashed near the grandstand during a race.Among those killed in Reno was the pilot, Jimmy Leeward. An investigation has been launched.