A Blue Angels aircraft down

[Greg_NY]

Sad news from the air show in MCAS Beaufort SC, apparently one of the Blue Angels has crashed.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/breaking ... 8377c.html (http://www.beaufortgazette.com/breaking_news/story/6477255p-5768377c.html)

[MarkLawrence]

Breaking news story on MSNBC...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18248797/

[Matt Molnar]

Sad.

[Tom_Turner]

Not meaning to be insensitive, this is a terrible event today obviously, but I do have a question -

I realize virtually all or many demonstration and acrobat teams have suffereed tragedies before - how does this typically impact the rest of the schedule when it happens early on in the season as is the case here?

[AirtrafficController]

sad day, my condolences for the pilot's family. I heard there was a very tall pine tree in the area.

[DNA]

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/1.jpg

This one taken in May 2006 in Midtown Manhattan. Let's pray for the angels.

[stuart schechter]

Very bad news. My prayers to the family.

[nwafan20]

Sad, my thought and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim.

[moose135]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/21/bluean ... index.html (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/04/21/blueangels.crash/index.html)


(CNN) -- The family of the pilot killed Saturday watched as his F/A-18 Hornet crashed in the final minutes of a U.S. Navy Blue Angels precision-flying team air show, Lt. Commander Anthony Walley said Saturday.

"Our squadron, and the entire U.S. Navy, are grieving the loss of a great American, a great naval officer, and most of all, a great friend," Walley said at a nighttime news conference in Beaufort, South Carolina.

The name of the pilot and information about him were being withheld for 24 hours, per a Department of Defense policy. A Navy statement said the aviator had been on the team for two years -- and it was his first as a demonstration pilot. The accident was under investigation, the statement said.

The jet crashed about 4 p.m. about three miles from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, which was hosting the two-day show, Walley said.

William Winn, Beaufort Country emergency management director, said the crash damaged several houses. Video of one home's interior showed broken furniture, strewn debris, and chunks of exposed insulation and drywall. Winn told The Associated Press that eight people on the ground were injured. The extent of their injuries was not known.

Officials announced that Sunday's scheduled air show will go on but that the Blue Angels will not take part.

While the Navy is not yet releasing the name of the pilot, they did report that it was Blue Angel #6 that crashed, one of the solo pilots. To answer Tom's question, the team will likely stand down for a time, while this mishap is investigated, but I imagine they will resume their schedule at some point this season.

[ATAIndy]

I was at Thunder Over Louisville at the time, fortunately all was safe there. RIP to the pilot, this is very sad.

[emshighway]

Condolences to the family of Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis, #6 of the Blue Angels. Thank you to Cmdr. Davis for his service to his country.

I was at FRG two years ago when the Angels were there and got to meet most of the pilots. I don't remember if I met Cmdr. Davis but if I did it was my honor to do so.

[moose135]

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/85856994-L.jpg

My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis.

[PHL Approach]

I echo that my thoughts go to "Kojack's" friends and family. I knew the name was familar when I read a new article just a little while ago. I always thought he was the most out-going of some the guys that do these press flights.

To Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis, RIP
http://69.16.213.77/videos/mona.mov

[mirrodie]

echo that Moose. We all somewhat knew him.