Military-Style Jet Crashes During Loop At Fla. Airshow, Kills Pilot
Crowd Watching When Plane Crashes
A Gainesville lawyer was identified as the pilot killed when a military-style jet crashed during a loop at Friday's Tico Warbird Airshow, according to Local 6 News partner Florida Today.
Eilon Krugman-Kadi, 58, was killed when a plane identified as an L-39 jet fighter crashed at Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville. Kadi is identified on the airshow's program as a former Israeli fighter pilot.
The plane, described as a fighter jet, was doing a loop when the crash occurred, witnesses said.
"It crashed, it crashed," said Tom Erikson of Melbourne, who was out to enjoy the airshow.
Erikson said the jet was doing a loop, and it looked like the pilot was trying to pull out of it but he was too low to the ground, Florida Today reported.
"I said to myself that looks too low," Erikson said. "Why was he so low to the ground? This was a disaster."
The airshow announcer asked viewers to bring any home video to the announcer's stage so they could determine what happened. He also asked guests to refrain from using their cell phones.
A Canadian helicopter has taken off so they can view the wreckage from overhead. Emergency crews, already at the airshow as a precautionary measure, rushed to the wreckage immediately after the crash. Many guests left quickly after the wreck.
Teri McMillan of Titusville said she had relatives visiting her from Baltimore who came to the airshow with their children. They had to walk away immediately because the children were so upset by the crash.
The show had resumed at 2:30 after skies had cleared from earlier rain.
Crowd Watching When Plane Crashes
A Gainesville lawyer was identified as the pilot killed when a military-style jet crashed during a loop at Friday's Tico Warbird Airshow, according to Local 6 News partner Florida Today.
Eilon Krugman-Kadi, 58, was killed when a plane identified as an L-39 jet fighter crashed at Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville. Kadi is identified on the airshow's program as a former Israeli fighter pilot.
The plane, described as a fighter jet, was doing a loop when the crash occurred, witnesses said.
"It crashed, it crashed," said Tom Erikson of Melbourne, who was out to enjoy the airshow.
Erikson said the jet was doing a loop, and it looked like the pilot was trying to pull out of it but he was too low to the ground, Florida Today reported.
"I said to myself that looks too low," Erikson said. "Why was he so low to the ground? This was a disaster."
The airshow announcer asked viewers to bring any home video to the announcer's stage so they could determine what happened. He also asked guests to refrain from using their cell phones.
A Canadian helicopter has taken off so they can view the wreckage from overhead. Emergency crews, already at the airshow as a precautionary measure, rushed to the wreckage immediately after the crash. Many guests left quickly after the wreck.
Teri McMillan of Titusville said she had relatives visiting her from Baltimore who came to the airshow with their children. They had to walk away immediately because the children were so upset by the crash.
The show had resumed at 2:30 after skies had cleared from earlier rain.
