NC Pilot Crashes Plane at West Virginia Air Show

The pilot of a post-World War II plane died on September 18, 2011, after crashing at an air show in West Virginia (VA). The pilot's aircraft hit a runway and burst into flames, according to msnbc.com.

Luckily, no spectators were injured. The Journal of Martinsburg reported that the plane went out of control while flying in a six-plane stunt formation. Air show officials posted a notice on their website encouraging those who witnessed the crash to seek support if they felt trauma from the event.

The pilot had lived in North Carolina (NC) and was a former Air Force fighter pilot who won three Meritorious Service Medals and Tactical Air Command's Instructor Pilot of the Year.

The fatal crash in West Virginia happened a day after a stunt pilot crashed at a Nevada air show, killing himself and others.  A rain of shrapnel fell on the crowd from the shattered plane, also causing dozens of injuries.  Early investigations into the Nevada crash focused on a possible mechanical problems.

LC