[gatagato]

Pilot Killed in Kansas City Air Show Tragedy

Remains of a fiery crash that killed a stunt pilot who couldn't pull out of a downward spiral are seen during the Kansas City Air Expo Air Show at the Kansas City Wheeler Downtown Airport, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2011, in Kansas City, Mo.

A stunt pilot died at a Kansas City air show when his plane spiraled and plummeted nose-first into the ground, in one of two fatal air show plane crashes this past weekend.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have emergency personnel who are prepared for this. We have planned for this sort of an event," a voice said over the loudspeaker as thousands watched, stunned, and one shouted, "Holy cow!"

Upon hitting the ground, the plane immediately burst into flames, Saturday.

"Huge explosion that you could hear from quite a ways and that was about it, you knew there was no way he was going to survive that, unfortunately," witness Matt Stone said. "So, that was a bad, bad scene.

The pilot, Bryan Jensen, was a professional pilot for Delta Air Lines who had been flying aerobatics for 15 years, according to his website.

No spectators were injured, Missouri Department of Aviation spokesman Joe McBride said.

It was the first fatal crash at the annual Kansas City Aviation Expo Air Show, McBride said, according to The Associated Press.

The Kansas City Aviation Expo Air Show was cut short yesterday after the crash, but is resuming today.

The crash was one of three fatal accidents at air shows this weekend. In England, Saturday, a British Air Force jet crashed during an air show there.

A prestigious Red Arrows pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, was killed when his Hawk T1 aircraft broke away from the nine-member RAF display team, began flying low to the ground and crashed into a field near Bournemouth Airport in Dorset, according to the Guardian.

See thread:
Red Arrows Grounded After Pilot Jon Egging Killed by dan-b

Meanwhile, a Boeing 737 passenger jet crashed Saturday in Canada's High Arctic, killing 12 of the 15 people on board, and injuring three others, Canada's CBC reported. Both black boxes were recovered, but the cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

See thread:
Twelve Dead After Canadian Plane Crashes by Kelly

http://abcnews.go.com/US/stunt-pilot...ry?id=14350399

See also:
US air show resumes day after fatal crash

[kellyhound]

Good find, sad loss.
they're dropping like flies lately

[Faline]

Damn another

[Lee]

[Skott]

Jesus.. i think that's a "pitts special" my brother is airshow pilot and flies the same plane (i've taken the controls a few times)..... bet he knew that guy.

[rabenson]

It's inevitable that there will be crashes at airshows but it's always sad when it happens and someone dies. RIP Bryan Jensen.
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[BigFoot]

I was there and live right outside Kansas City. Go figure didn't have my camera.

[L1v1ngD3ad]

I have felt for about 6 or 7 years now that air shows have become more of a gathering to watch an almost guaranteed death instead of a light-hearted stunt show. The number of air show accidents and deaths over the past 10 years is unbelievable. Sorry folks, I'll save my $15.00 admission and just watch them from DR