The pilot killed in the tragic crash of an experimental aircraft at a Virginia military base has been revealed to be a renowned stunt flyer.
A single seater MX Aircraft MXS crashed while ‘on approach’ to the Langley Air Force Base in Hampton on Thursday morning, just two days before the biennial Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show.
Rob Holland, a legendary aerobatic pilot set to perform in the show this weekend, was named as the victim in the horrific accident, the Holland’s official Facebook page confirmed.
‘It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today,’ the post read. ‘Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history.’
‘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,’ it added.
As his loved ones requested time to grieve, they included an important reminder in his memory at the end of their post: ‘Never ever give up on your dreams.’
Although the cause of the crash remains unknown, the base confirmed that the 11.39am crash was related to the air show.
Officials confirmed that the expect to continue on with the scheduled show, despite the devastating and unexpected circumstances, WTKR reported.
Rob Holland, a legendary aerobatic pilot, was named as the victim in the horrific crash of an experimental aircraft at a Virginia Air Force base on Thursday morning
A single seater MX Aircraft MXS crashed while ‘on approach’ to the Langley Air Force Base in Hampton on Thursday morning (pictured), just two days before the biennial Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show
In the two-plus decades Holland spent as a full-time airshow pilot, he secured 37 medals in international competitions and was crowned a 13-time US National Aerobatic Champion
The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of Defense are actively investigating the crash.
Officials with the Joint Base Langley-Eustis announced a cancelation to a media availability with the US Air Force Thunderbirds pilots scheduled for Thursday afternoon ‘due to unforeseen circumstances’.
‘Today we lost a friend of our Air Force family,’ Col. Matthew Altman, Joint Base Langley-Eustis commander, told WTKR.
‘On behalf of our entire JBLE team, I want to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of this incredible aviator.’
The ill-fated aircraft was custom-built to Holland’s specifications of carbon fiber, resulting in the plane’s capability to withstand 16Gs and roll at a jaw-dropping 500 degrees per second, according to Holland’s website.
In the two-plus decades Holland spent as a full-time airshow pilot, he secured 37 medals in international competitions and was crowned a 13-time US National Aerobatic Champion.
Holland’s family posted this picture with a heartbreaking caption announcing his loss, adding: ‘Never ever give up on your dreams’
‘The world lost an extraordinary pilot, an incredible person and a true hero who inspired countless lives,’ the E3Aviation Association posted to their website.
‘With over 15,000 flight hours across more than 180 aircraft types, Rob’s skill was matched only by his boundless enthusiasm for flight.’
An investigator with the NTSB is expected to arrive at Langley on Friday to begin the process of documenting the scene and examining the aircraft before transporting it to a secure facility for further evaluation.
