A U.S. Navy Blue Angel pilot died today in a crash during a practice for the Great Tennessee Air Show, which was scheduled for June 4-5.
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The Navy says Kuss was beginning to take off during an afternoon practice session when the crash happened.
No other Blue Angels pilots or planes were involved. In Colorado, a U.S Air Force Thunderbird crashed near Peterson Air Force Base after a flyover during a graduation ceremony, The Tennessean noted.
The pilot in the Thunderbirds crash in El Paso County ejected safely and was reported to be okay.
To qualify for the Blue Angels, one must be a career-oriented Navy or Marine Corps jet pilot with an aircraft carrier qualification and a minimum of 1,250 tactical jet flight hours.
“We will investigate this accident fully and do all we can to prevent similar incidents”.
Kuss is a Durango native, and his parents still live and work in Durango.
Senator Bob Corker also released a statement, saying,”My prayers are with the Blue Angels and the family of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss”.
Kuss leaves behind a wife and two children, along with a legacy that many will look up to and generations to come in Annapolis.
“The Thunderbirds are a huge part of U.S. Air Force history and they are such a vital element of connecting our nation to our Air Force”, Maricle said.
The Blue Angels pilot who lost his life during a practice run in Tennessee was just in Maryland. He had previously served in Afghanistan before joining the Blue Angels.
“After close consultation with the Blue Angels, regulatory officials and the performers, we have made the decision to carry on with this weekend’s show”, Black said.
“I got invited to fly with the Blue Angels previous year and immediately I agreed”. “We hope you’re ready to see Blues in the sky, Nashville”, the team posted. They also expect to announce more details about a tribute next week. “But we really just try to invoke that fire in their belly to go out and do what they want to do that makes them happy and successful in life”.
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“The Navy’s Flight Demonstration team will conduct a one-time flight back to Naval Air Station Pensacola at which time they will begin a stand down [operational pause] for an undetermined amount of time following this mishap”, a Navy spokesman said in the release.
