Around 3 this afternoon, a Blue Angels pilot crashed just after takeoff in Smyrna. Navy Captian Jeff Kuss had just started a practice flight when he went down. He died in the crash.
Earlier: Blue Angels Dazzle Nashvillians
The Blue Angels team was preparing for the Great Tennessee Air Show this weekend, to be held in Smyrna. Mark King captured a video of the tragic event, as presented by ABC News:
Video captures crash of U.S. Navy Blue Angel F/A-18 during airshow training exercise in TN. https://t.co/XWvBvFjsRGhttps://t.co/8QIYuzrdJj
— ABC News (@ABC) June 2, 2016
In a statement, Nashville Mayor Barry expressed condolences:
I’m shocked and saddened to learn of the death of a Navy Blue Angel pilot who crashed just a few miles outside of Nashville, and just hours after the Blue Angels flew over downtown Nashville. The Blue Angels have served to inspire and instill national pride in men, women, and children throughout our country. I have ordered the Metro Courthouse and Korean Veterans Memorial Bridge to be lit yellow and blue tomorrow night in honor of the life an service of this brave pilot.