Air Force veteran Jonathan Harris spent eight years serving on active duty and another 25 years in the Reserves. Throughout his civilian career working on McChord Field since 1970, he's helped organize many air shows and Air Mobility Command's Air Rodeo event.

Not once did an aircraft put his life in danger.

But that changed Sept. 16 when Harris attended the Reno National Championship Air Races as part of a weekend vacation in Reno, Nev.

Eleven people were killed and about 70 were injured when veteran pilot Jimmy Leeward crashed his P-51 Mustang at the end of an Unlimited Class race, according to published reports. Leeward lost control after a piece of the aircraft came off in a sharp, banking turn. Leeward's WWII-era plane disintegrated on impact, sending debris into spectators in the VIP box seats on the tarmac.

Harris was right in the middle of it all.

Given tickets for box seats on the tarmac by a friend, the Steilacoom resident was watching the action when Leeward's airplane went into a sudden climb after losing a trim tab. Right then, Harris knew something was wrong but it didn't really hit him until the airplane starting descending at a high rate of speed.

"That propeller started getting pretty big," Harris said. "It was surreal. There was no way he was going to pull up."

Harris and his friends started running for their lives.

"We ran about 20 feet but it felt like we were running forever," he said. "We didn't make it that far."

The aircraft crashed behind him, and the shock wave from the impact knocked Harris onto the tarmac. He was peppered with debris and shrapnel, but fortunately not seriously injured.

"It felt like I had been in a fight or gotten tackled at a football game," he said.

Although he was left dazed from the impact, Harris got up surveyed the damage.

"We were covered with some fuel from the plane and other debris," he said.

Harris started walking back to the part of the field where a team that was supporting the group of first responders had set up for the race. As they were helping Harris take his soiled clothes off, the impact of everything started to sink in.

"People were handing me alcohol wet naps to wipe myself down, and I knew by the look on their faces I'm looking pretty bad," Harris said.

But the veteran knows he's lucky, as he got a first-hand look at those that didn't survive. It's something that he'll never forget, he said.