The pilot of a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird ejected safely into a Colorado field Thursday, crashing the fighter jet moments after flying over a crowd watching President Barack Obama’s commencement address for Air Force cadets.
Advertisement
The jet crashed after a flyover of the Air Force Academy commencement attended by President Obama.
“He made a conscious effort to get his aircraft away from residences”, Lt. Col. Christopher Hammond, the commander and leader of the Thunderbirds, said during a news conference. Turner joined the team back in October of 2015.
The Thunderbirds performed at Barksdale Air Force Base April 30 and May 1 in this year’s Defenders of Liberty Air Show.
According to a report from KKTV-11 in Colorado Springs, the pilot, Major Alex Turner, was flying jet No. 6 when something went wrong.
Two military show jets crashed within hours of each other today.
Authorities are still trying to determine what was the cause of the crash. The Blue Angels have 22 of 36 shows left on their schedule, though it is doubtful they will return to the skies this weekend.
“This is a very rare thing for them and in the Air Force overall”, Newell said.
The crash occurred in a field near Peterson Air Force Base and the pilot was picked up by emergency response crews, it said. “It hit me very hard to know he’s been involved in something like that”, Ann Turner, mother of Maj.
Hours later, a U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 crashed in Smyrna, Tennessee, during practice for an upcoming air show, Navy spokeswoman Cmdr.
Van Winkle says the first priority is the health and safety of the pilot and people on the ground.
Obama reportedly met with the pilot, shaking his hand and thanking him for his service, before getting on Air Force One.
Jeff Bohn, an Air Force spokesman, said he believe the F-16 was on final approach when it crashed. The crash posed no hazard to the public, she said.
The crash happened immediately following the annual Thunderbird performance at the Air Force Academy graduation.
Advertisement
Then she realized the pilot had ejected. That is south of the city’s airport and Peterson Air Force Base.
