Originally Posted by
vegassun
First American to win the world aerobatics championship was Charlie Hilliard from Ft Worth TX. He was ultimately killed shortly after landing a Sea Fury at an airshow (Sun-N-Fun Lakeland, FL) in 1996. He was also the first person to complete a free fall baton pass in the infancy of sport parachuting/skydiving.
I remember that accident. If Charlie had left the roll bar in his airplane, he would likely be with us today. The roll bar had been removed, and when the airplane went on its back Charlie was pinned and was asphyxiated. What a way to go, eh?