Famed Stunt Pilot Was In Contact With Control Tower Prior To Fatal Crash At Langley Air Force Base

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) connected Friday confirmed a celebrated aerobatic aviator who fatally collapsed astatine Langley Air Force Base was successful touch pinch nan aerial postulation power building anterior to nan tragedy.

Rob Holland, nan pilot, was nan only personification onboard and died aft crashing into nan ungraded adjacent nan taxiway conscionable aft 11:30 a.m. Thursday, according to NTSB president Dan Boggs. 

Holland was attempting a regular landing erstwhile nan calamity occurred, and was not performing immoderate stunts, Boggs said.

The airfield was closed astatine nan clip and subject operations were not impacted.

Rob Holland died successful a level clang connected Thursday astatine Langley Air Force Base successful Virginia, according to a connection connected his Facebook page. (Rob Holland Aerosports via Facebook)

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The NTSB confirmed Holland was speaking to nan power building earlier nan crash, but officials are still moving connected getting a transcript of nan communications betwixt aerial postulation controllers and nan pilot.

While it is unclear if Holland tried to maneuver nan level earlier it went down, nan NTSB is moving connected getting witnesser statements.

"Whether they're aviation people, they spot it 1 way, versus non-aviation," he said. "We're going to put each of that together. … If there's anybody that was driving successful a car aliases conscionable happened to spot nan full mishap sequence, I would for illustration to perceive astir that."

Officials confirmed a level clang astatine Langley Air Force Base connected Thursday. (Kaitlin McKeown/Daily Press/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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The aircraft, an MX Aircraft MXS, was a single-engine, single-seat plane.

It is specifically built and designed for airshows and has astir double nan horsepower of a emblematic mini aircraft.

"It's conscionable an all-around stunt airplane, and it's good respected successful nan aerial show community," Boggs said.

The craft will beryllium taken disconnected tract arsenic nan NTSB investigates.

Rob Holland was group to execute astatine an airshow astatine Langley Air Force Base complete nan weekend. (Rob Holland Aerosports via Facebook)

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If investigators find immoderate issues pinch nan plane, Boggs said nan NTSB will instantly put retired a information bulletin for each pilots that alert that class.

Holland was scheduled to alert astatine nan Hampton Roads airshow astatine Joint Base Langley-Eustis connected Saturday and Sunday, according to his website.

He would person joined nan U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, ACC F-22 Demo Team and nan U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight, on pinch different performers.

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Installation Commander and Air Force Col. Matthew Altman said nan airshow will proceed arsenic scheduled.

"The world of aviation has genuinely mislaid a legend, a hero, and moreover much so, a awesome quality being. That really cannot beryllium overstated," Altman said. "Not only do we dream that this airshow is, yet again, a awesome opportunity to invited successful nan organization and still observe nan joyousness of aerial powerfulness and each nan inspiration that brings, but we do dream that it's besides a tribute to his legacy, and really his wizardry successful nan air."