During the Blue Angels history, 27 Blue Angels pilots have been killed in air show or training accidents.
Through the 2017 season, there have been 261 pilots in the squadron’s history, giving the job a roughly 10% fatality rate.
Here is a List of All Blue Angel’s Accidents
29 September 1946 Blue Angels crash
Lt. Ross “Robby” Robinson was killed during a performance when a wingtip broke off his Bearcat, sending him into an unrecoverable spin.
1952 Blue Angels Mid-Air Collision
Two Panthers collided during a demonstration in Corpus Christi, Texas, and one pilot was killed. The team resumed performances two weeks later.
2 August 1958 Runway overrun
Lt. John R. Dewenter landed wheels up at Buffalo Niagara International Airport after experiencing engine troubles during a show in Clarence, NY. The Grumman F-11 Tiger landed on Runway 23 but exited airport property coming to rest in the intersection of Genesee Street and Dick Road, nearly hitting a gas station. Lt. Dewenter was uninjured, but the plane was a total loss.
14 October 1958 Blue Angels crash
Cmdr. Robert Nicholls Glasgow died during an orientation flight just days after reporting for duty as the new Blue Angels leader.
15 March 1964 Emergency landing
Lt. George L. Neale, 29, was killed during an attempted emergency landing at Apalach Airport near Apalachicola, Florida. Lt. Neale’s F-11A Tiger had experienced mechanical difficulties during a flight from West Palm Beach, Florida to NAS Pensacola, causing him to attempt the emergency landing. Failing to reach the airport, he ejected from the aircraft on final approach, but his parachute did not have sufficient time to fully deploy.
2 September 1966 crash at Canadian International Air Show
Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver crashed his Tiger and was killed at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.
1 February 1967 Blue Angels Tiger crash
Lt Frank Gallagher was killed when his Tiger stalled during a practice Half Cuban 8 maneuver and spun into the ground.
18 February 1967 Blue Angels Tiger crash
Capt. Ronald Thompson was killed when his Tiger struck the ground during a practice formation loop.
14 January 1968 Blue Angels crash
Opposing solo Lt. Bill Worley was killed when his Tiger crashed during a practice double Immelman.
30 August 1970 Blue Angels F-4J Phantom crash
Lt. Ernie Christensen belly-landed his F-4J Phantom at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids when he inadvertently left the landing gear in the up position. He ejected safely, while the aircraft slid off the runway.
4 June 1971 Blue Angels Phantom crash
CDR Harley Hall safely ejected after his Phantom caught fire and crashed during practice over Narragansett Bay near the ex-NAS Quonset Point in Rhode Island.
14 February 1972 Blue Angels F-4J Phantom II
Lt. Larry Watters was killed when his F-4J Phantom II struck the ground, upright while practicing inverted flight, during winter training at NAF El Centro.
8 March 1973 Blue Angels multi-aircraft mid-air collision
Capt. John Fogg, Lt. Marlin Wiita and LCDR Don Bentley survived a multi-aircraft mid-air collision during practice over the Superstition Mountains in California.
26 July 1973 F-4 Phantoms mid-air collision
2 pilots and crew chiefs were killed in a mid-air collision between 2 Phantoms over Lakehurst, NJ during an arrival practice. Team Leader LCDR Skip Umstead, Capt. Mike Murphy and ADJ1 Ron Thomas perished. The rest of the season was canceled after this incident.
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22 February 1977 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash
Opposing solo Lt Nile Kraft was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during practice.
8 November 1978 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash
One of the solo Skyhawks struck the ground after a low roll during arrival maneuvers at NAS Miramar. Navy Lieutenant Michael Curtin was killed.
April 1980 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash
Lead Solo Lt. Jim Ross was unhurt when his Skyhawk suffered a fuel line fire during a show at NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. LT Ross stayed with and landed the plane which left the end of the runway and taxied into the woods after a total hydraulic failure upon landing.
22 February 1982 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash
Lt. Cmdr Stu Powrie, Lead Solo was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California just after a dirty loop.
13 July 1985 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash
Lead and Opposing Solo Skyhawks collided during a show at Niagara Falls, killing opposing solo Lt. Cmdr. Mike Gershon. Lt. Andy Caputi ejected and parachuted to safety.
12 February 1987 Blue Angels Hornet crash
Lead solo Lt. Dave Anderson ejected from his Hornet after a dual engine flameout during practice near El Centro, CA.
23 January 1990 Two Blue Angels Hornets mid-air collision
Two Blue Angel Hornets suffered a mid-air collision during a practice at El Centro. Marine Corps Maj. Charles Moseley ejected safely. Cmdr. Pat Moneymaker was able to land his airplane, which then required a complete right-wing replacement.
28 October 1999 Blue Angels Hornet crash
Lt. Cmdr. Kieron O’Connor, flying in the front seat of a two-seat Hornet, and recently selected demonstration pilot Lt. Kevin Colling (in the back seat) struck the ground during circle and arrival maneuvers in Valdosta, Georgia. Neither pilot survived.
1 December 2004 Blue Angels Hornet crash
Lt. Ted Steelman ejected from his F/A-18 approximately one mile off Perdido Key after his aircraft struck the water, suffering catastrophic engine and structural damage. He suffered minor injuries.
21 April 2007 Blue Angels Hornet crash
Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis crashed his Hornet near the end of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort airshow in Beaufort, South Carolina, and was killed.
2 June 2016 Blue Angels Hornet crash
Capt. Jeff “Kooch” Kuss, (Opposing Solo, Blue Angel No. 6), died just after takeoff while performing the Split-S maneuver in his F/A-18 Hornet during a practice run for The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, Tennessee. The Navy investigation found that Capt. Kuss performed the maneuver at too low of an altitude while failing to retard the throttle out of the afterburner, causing him to fall too fast and recover at too low of an altitude. Capt. Kuss ejected, but his parachute was immediately engulfed in flames, causing him to fall to his death. Kuss’ body was recovered multiple yards away from the crash site.
Furthermore, The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The investigation also cites weather and pilot fatigue as additional causes of the crash. In a strange twist, Captain Kuss’ fatal crash happened hours after the Blue Angels’ fellow pilots in the United States Air Force Thunderbirds suffered a crash of their own following the United States Air Force Academy graduation ceremony earlier that day.
The 30 August 1970 Blue Angels crash photo was taken by my mother – Ardis Guyer on our Minolta 35mm camera on slide film. I have the original in my possession. Please credit her as was already done on a Blue Angels website listing crashes.
Thank you
You did not list July 1972 Stallings field, Kinston, NC incident / ejection of F-4
He also didn’t list the crash of the Blue Angel #6, F 11 tiger, at the airshow at NAS New Orleans in 1967. Pilot was rescued safely.
Good call!
I was there as a Cub Scout. One of the kids in our Cub Scout Den was Terry Fornof. Terry’s father was Bill Fornof who happened to own his own F8 Bearcat. I will never forget seeing the Blue Angel jet skidding down the runway.
There was also a crash and the pilot survived in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Can’t remember the year, early 70s, but we’re still flying F4s.
What about the crash where the entire group followed the lead pilot into the ground and the Blue Angels program was almost dropped. I can’t remember the year. Very tragic for everyone involved.
Starts off with “Blue Angels” then it’s laced with “Blue angle”.
Spellcheck issue?
Well back in my day, as a blue angel pilot, we never left our wingman and we liked it!
Believe you’re thinking of the Thunderbird accident at Indian Springs, NV, in the 80s when the diamond of T-38s followed their leader into the ground during a formation loop.
That was the Thunder birds that had that crash were they followed the lead acft.
You’re also missing the advance Blue Angel F4 Phantom crash at Keene NH in the early 70’s.
The November 1978 crash is still vivid in my memory. I was stationed with VF-124 NAS (formerly) Miramar, working in the staff personnel office. We were watching the Blue Angels practice maneuvers in preparation for an air show. The pilot was flying low, upside down and appeared to “pull up” into the ground. It was a devastating accident, and terrible loss the the team and the pilot’s family.
When I was at NAS Miramar I served as Military Public Affairs Officer and had the privilege of working with
the Blue Angels when the team included LCDR Skip Umstead, Capt Mike Murphy USMC and
CAPT Harley Hall later shot down in Vietnam
Each time I look at the plaque they presented me with their photos and signatures I think of the loss
for that team
I also remember when I heard about LCDR Umstead and Capt Murphy at Lakehurst and
then CAPT Hall.
They were a fine team in all regard not only in their performances but personally speaking
Memorial Day in 1957 in Northeast Minneapolis. Two Navy planes collided in midair, killing one pilot and setting four houses ablaze near Sunset Memorial Cemetery.