The crash, which remains under investigation, prompted the Navy to temporarily suspend the flight team from performing.
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A Navy official earlier in the day confirmed the death of the pilot in the Tennessee crash, according to Fox News. All six of the famous aircraft which were scheduled for the weekend’s performance were mid-air when the crash occurred, but only the single plane was involved in the crash, with the remaining five landing moments after the crash occurred.
The Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead as graduating cadets celebrate with the “hat toss” after graduation ceremonies at the 2016 class of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Thursday, June 2, 2016, in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“The Navy is deeply saddened by the loss of this service member”, the Naval Air Forces said in a statement. “We will investigate this accident fully and do all we can to prevent similar incidents in the future”, Adm. John Richardson, the Navy’s top officer, said in a Facebook post. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, fellow Marines and Blue Angels teammates”.
Just three years later, in 1949, the team moved to Pensacola Naval Air Station and have since held a place of honor in the community.
“They dazzle you with their speed and precision and they make it look easy, but take it from me”, said WTNH morning anchor Laura Hutchinson, who flew with Kuss when she was with WWLP.
The Blue Angels flight leader said Friday their fallen pilot was “truly one of the absolute finest Americans this country can produce”. Even when I passed out he said ‘don’t worry, I’ve seen football players pass out back there’. He was selected for the Blue Angels from Beaufort in 2014. Twenty years ago, a Navy F-14 crashes along Luna Drive in south Nashville.
Footage of the Blue Angels flying near a residential area taken by a Smyrna resident shows the plane crashing into a field and exploding on impact.
“I started flying when I was a young kid”, he said. Also, it will not participate in the Great Tennessee Air Show this weekend.
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Baldor reported from Washington.
