US Blue Angels, Thunderbirds jets crash in separate incidents

Two U.S. military demonstration aircraft crashed Thursday in separate incidents, one in Tennessee in which a pilot was killed and the other in Colorado, where President Barack Obama delivered a commencement address to the Air Force Academy.

Navy officials said a jet from the Blue Angels demonstration squadron crashed near an airfield in Smyrna, Tennessee. The F/A-18 Hornet was participating in practice exercises for an air show with other jets, but no other plane was involved in the crash, Navy officials said.

In the Colorado incident, a pilot ejected safely after his Air Force F-16 flying with the Thunderbirds performance squadron crashed near Peterson Air Force Base shortly after a flyover during the Academy’s graduation ceremonies, where Mr. Obama made his speech.

Source : Petra