Pilot parachutes to safety before Thunderbird crashes
Source: kktv
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) A Thunderbird pilot was able to parachute to safety after aircraft issues caused his jet to begin going down in the Security-Widefield area Thursday afternoon.
The crash happened immediately following the annual Thunderbird performance at the Air Force Academy graduation. Witnesses say the plane crashed in a field near the Powers and Fontaine intersection, across the street from First Baptist Church-Peaceful Valley.
"My initial report from the airport was that the aircraft was on final approach to the runaway, and then they received a report of the aircraft down. I do not have specifics on what led up to that moment," said Jeff Bohn, a spokesperson with Peterson Air Force Base.
Powers is closed at Bradley.
Photos from one 11 News viewer show the pilot safely following his aircraft via parachute into the field.
"My initial report is that the pilot's condition is okay, that he's good. He's being taken in for medical observation. ... I do know that the pilot is in pretty good shape," Bohn said.
Read more: http://www.kktv.com/content/news/Reports-of-plane-crash-south-of-Colorado-Springs-airport-381683861.html
oh my, a thunderbird and a blue angel down.
msongs
(67,394 posts)niyad
(113,254 posts)considering the sexual assaults and religious bigotry at the service academies, I wouldn't mind them going.
I used to know what the cost was per cadet.
MADem
(135,425 posts)It's probably much more now.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)Both in one day. Very strange.
niyad
(113,254 posts)leveymg
(36,418 posts)It on the scroll.
MADem
(135,425 posts)They were apparently practicing/training for airshows when that happened.
Kingofalldems
(38,444 posts)Plucketeer
(12,882 posts)You can bet your bottom dollar we'll NEVER see these flight teams in F-22s or F-35s. Matter of fact, I never stopped to consider if there might be drone performance teams in the service's futures! With the explosion of FPV drone racing of late, why not flight demonstration teams as well?
MADem
(135,425 posts)It sort of glided to a lumpy stop. I guess it was going fairly slowly and was able to just kind of plop down in one piece.
It's totalled, but at least they'll be able to do a good forensic exam and figure out what happened.