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THUNDERBIRD PILOT KILLED IN WEDNESDAY ACCIDENT

Yesterday, at approximately 10:30 a.m. PDT, a pilot for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds was killed in an accident during a routine training sortie. Pending notification of next of kin, the Air Force has not yet released the name of the pilot.

The accident occurred at Creech Air Force Base, approximately 50 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, Nevada.

A statement from the team issued late last night said, in part, “The team’s participation at the March Field Air & Space Expo (April 7-8, Moreno Valley, California) has been cancelled. It is unknown how this accident will impact the remainder of the 2018 Thunderbirds season."

Until yesterday, the Thunderbirds had not suffered a fatal accident since January, 1982.