2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash

2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash
Accident
DateApril 21, 2007 (2007-04-21)
SummaryG-LOC
SiteNear Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Beaufort, South Carolina, United States
Total fatalities1
Total injuries8
Aircraft
Aircraft typeMcDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet
OperatorUnited States Navy aerobatic team the Blue Angels
Registration162897
Crew1
Fatalities1
Survivors0
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities0
Ground injuries8

The 2007 Blue Angels South Carolina crash occurred on Saturday, April 21, 2007, when the Number 6 US Navy Blue Angels jet crashed during the final minutes of an air show at the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort, South Carolina.[1] The sole fatality was the pilot, Lieutenant Commander Kevin "Kojak" Davis.[2] The body of the pilot and the flight recorder were recovered and moved to the local coroner's office.[3] Eight nearby residents were injured and millions of dollars worth of private property damage were caused by flying debris.[4]

A report was released on January 15, 2008, ending the investigation by the Navy into the crash. The report states that when LCDR Davis pulled back into a 6.8-g pull, he lost control of the aircraft due to G-force-induced Loss Of Consciousness (G-LOC).[5]

Accident

Blue Angel #5, Lt. Cmdr. John Allison, lead solo pilot and Blue Angel #6, Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis, opposing solo pilot, perform the fortus, a wingtip-to-wingtip maneuver, during Lt. Cmdr. Davis' fatal flight[4]
Family friends identified the downed pilot as Kevin "Kojak" Davis

All six McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets of the Blue Angels were making their final turns into the landing pattern when Lt. Cmdr. Davis, piloting Blue Angel #6, became disoriented by the G-forces of the turn.[6][4] His airplane flew behind the audience and low over a tree-line, three miles away from air show center. The aircraft slid for two hundred to three hundred yards after it hit the ground.[4][7] This was followed by a plume of black smoke, which Blue Angel #1 immediately began to circle while the others landed. Several rescue helicopters and local emergency vehicles went to the crash site in response to 9-1-1 calls.[8][9]

Aftermath

The Blue Angels returned to their home base at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, to discuss continuing their season.[10] Sunday's air show went on as planned but, in a special tribute, the GEICO Skytypers flew the missing man formation in honor of the fallen Blue Angel.[4]

Soon after LCDR Davis’ crash, the Blue Angels began performing a five-jet demonstration. The squadron called back former Blue Angel, LCDR Craig Olson, to fill the opposing solo position. LCDR Olson had previously served with the squadron from 2003 to 2005, during which time he flew both solo positions.

See also

References

  1. ^ U.S. Navy "Blue Angels" jet crashes, Reuters, April 21, 2007 7:32PM EDT
  2. ^ Report: Blue Angels Pilot Dies In S.C. Plane Crash Archived August 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, Associated Press article, Posted on NBCSandiego.com, UPDATED: 3:33 pm PDT April 22, 2007
  3. ^ Fox News Live: 22 April 7, 10:08 AM Live Interview
  4. ^ a b c d e Lowcountry Mourns Loss of Fallen Blue Angel Archived November 21, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (PDF version Archived June 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine), The Jet Stream online, USMC, April 27, 2007 print edition
  5. ^ Amos, Smith, "Report: Blue Angels pilot became disoriented", Military Times, January 16, 2008. Archived February 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "Blue Angel Pilot Killed in Air Show Crash Identified". US Navy. April 23, 2007. NNS070423-01. Archived from the original on April 30, 2007.
  7. ^ Pilot killed in S.C. Blue Angel crash[permanent dead link‍], By Bruce Smith, Associated Press, Posted on Yahoo News Sat April 21, 7:47 PM ET [dead link‍]
  8. ^ Report: Blue Angels Pilot Dies In S.C. Plane Crash Archived May 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Blue Angel crashes; pilot killed; eyewitness reports home caught fire Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Blue Angels back home to mourn pilot". Boston Herald. Associated Press. April 24, 2007. Archived from the original on August 23, 2007.

32°26′59″N 80°46′19″W / 32.44972°N 80.77194°W / 32.44972; -80.77194