Team Performing at the Thunder Over The Blueridge Open House And Airshow In Martinsburg, WV

ANN RealTime Update, 09.17.11, 1821ET: While no official word has been released as to the identity of a pilot killed at the Thunder Over the Blueridge Open House And Airshow, the aircraft involved is registered to Jack "Flash" Mangan -- an alternate wing team member of the Trojan Horsemen. Mangan has an impressive bio, he is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and spent 13 years on active duty, flying more than 2,500 hours in F15s and F4s. He was awarded three Meritorious Service Medals and the Tactical Air Command's Instructor Pilot of the Year award and is reported to have logged more than 4,000 flight hours and holds Airline Transport Pilot and sailplane ratings.

A statement by the airshow organization confirms that the show is completely canceled throughout the weekend. "Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Open House and Air Show, Sunday September 18, 2011 is canceled. A T-28 aircraft crashed at about 2:30 p.m. today during an acrobatic demonstration at the 2011 Thunder Over the Blue Ridge Open House & Air Show at the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg. There were no injuries among spectators on the ground."

According to Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, "We were fortunate that the safety measures put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration ensured the safety of those on the ground... Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the deceased."
 

ANN RealTime Update, 09.17.11, 1619ET: Local media sources are now reporting that the crash of a Trojan Horsemen team T-28 was fatal. The pilot's name has not been released at this time...

Original Report: Once again, the airshow industry is getting rocked by tragedy... and to put it mildly, we're all pretty shaken. ANN has learned that one aircraft from the Trojan Horsemen Warbird Formation Acrobatic Team has gone down at the Thunder Over the Blueridge Open House And Airshow.

According to media reports, the accident occurred when two of the aircraft, flying in oposing manuevers formation, passed and separated, with the westbound aircraft having 'lost control, rolled and crashed on the runway in front of the hangars.'

There have been no reports of any ground injuries and the fate of the unnamed pilot has yet to be confirmed.

The Trojan Horsemen is a 6-ship T-28 formation demonstration team, closely associated with the Veteran's Airlift Command (indeed VAC's Chairman, CEO and Founder, Walt Fricke is one of the demonstration pilots). The team has a pretty solid record and flies a pretty strong roster of shows each year.

The Thunder Over the Blueridge Open House And Airshow has been shut down, and closed due for the rest of the day, to the accident. We'll have more info when it becomes available. Please keep all involved, the pilot, his friends and family, in your prayers...

FMI: http://www.trojanhorsemen.com, www.martinsburgairshow.com