An Air Force Thunderbird crashed shortly after performing a flyover as President Obama gave the commencement address at the Air Force Academy — and he not only bailed out and survived but got to meet the commander in chief.
The elite Thunderbirds had just finished their traditional performance, when one of the F-16s, piloted by Maj. Alex Turner, came down about 15 miles south of the academy.
News of the crash broke about 1 p.m. local time while Obama’s motorcade was returning from Colorado Springs, Colo., to Peterson Air Force Base to catch his flight back to Washington.
Turner, who parachuted to safety, was taken by helicopter to the air base to meet the leader of the free world.
“The pilot seemed in fine form, saluted POTUS as he approached and then shook his outstretched hand. The two had a brief chat,” according to a White House press pool report.
“The president thanked the pilot for his service to the country and expressed his relief that the pilot was not seriously injured. The president also thanked the first responders who acted quickly to tend to the pilot.”
There was no obvious sign of trouble with the jets during the performance.
With Wires