Aerobatic pilot dies in crash at Langley Air Force Base ahead of weekend airshow
Rob Holland, a full-time airshow pilot, was killed in the accident.
A famed aerobatic pilot died Thursday in a crash at the Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, where he was set to participate in an airshow this weekend.
Rob Holland, a full-time airshow pilot for two decades, was killed in the accident at the base in Hampton, according to his social media accounts.
"Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history," a post on his Instagram account announcing his death stated. "Even with an absolutely impressive list of accomplishments, both in classical competition aerobatics and within the air show world, Rob was the most humble person with a singular goal to simply be better than he was yesterday."
The crash occurred on Thursday, shortly before noon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. An experimental MX Aircraft MXS crashed while the pilot was attempting to land at the base, the FAA said.
The aircraft impacted the terrain between the taxiway and the runway, according to Dan Boggs, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. It is undetermined yet how the crash happened, he said during a briefing on Friday.
"Over the next two to three days, we will be doing a detailed examination of the flight controls, the engine, any avionics that may be installed on the aircraft behind the scenes," he said.
The pilot was the only person on board, the FAA said.
The FAA and the NTSB are investigating the crash.
Holland was set to participate in the Air Power Over Hampton Roads Airshow, happening Saturday and Sunday at the base.
"We lost a great friend to the Air Force and an airman and a legend of air power," Col. Matt Altman, the Joint Base Langley-Eustis installation commander, said at a press briefing on Thursday. "On behalf of all of Joint Base Langley-Eustis, all the friends and family of the pilot, just want to offer our deepest, deepest condolences to the family the friends all who loved and respected him."
Altman said they hold airshows at the base to inspire future airmen "to look up and imagine what can be -- and this individual did it better than anybody."
Altman said Friday that the base has received all other aircraft scheduled to arrive for the airshow and they have decided to proceed with the event as scheduled.
The aircraft was a single-engine, single-seat plane "specifically built and designed for airshows," Boggs said.
"It's just an all-around stunt airplane," he said. "It's just well-respected in the air show community."
On behalf of the NTSB, Boggs gave their "sincere condolences to the family and friends of the well-known pilot."
Holland was a 13-time U.S. National Aerobatic champion, according to his website biography.
"Rob will be remembered as a friend, a mentor, a leader, and an innovator," Jim Bourke, president of the International Aerobatic Club, which organizes the competition, said in a statement. "To Rob's family: words cannot express our grief over your loss, but we are so glad we were able to share Rob Holland with you."
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