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Posted on 07/16/2026 10:16:21 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
A Florida beach erupted into chaos Wednesday when an ultra-low-altitude Blue Angels flyover sent tents, chairs and umbrellas flying into the air — leaving spectators on the shoreline stunned as the jet engines roared just feet above their heads, wild video shows.
The “Breakfast with the Blues” annual flyover — part of the Pensacola Beach Air Show — sent sunbathers into a frenzy as the specialized US Navy jets flew terrifyingly close to the shore — stirring up clouds of sand and sending beach gear airborne, WEAR News reported.
Tents, beach chairs and umbrellas were tossed around by the thrust from the jet’s engines and some of the gear reportedly hit several people, according to videos posted to social media.
The extent of injuries, if any, is unknown at this point.
Despite the chaos, some beachgoers say they will remember the patriotic air display for a long time to come.
The Blue Angels leadership is reviewing the super low flyover.
“The safety of our hometown community, spectators, and our pilots is our highest priority,” a spokesperson for the specialized Navy demonstration group told WEAR News.
“Team leadership is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety review to ensure all operations adhere to strict Navy and FAA safety standards,” the statement said.
The Blue Angels have been doing the thrilling flyover at Pensacola Beach for 80 years, according to WEAR News — an annual tradition that draws in large crowds to the shoreline.
The multi-day annual air show sees as many as 250,000 people visit the town each year to catch a glimpse of the action.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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One summer I worked for an oil company a few stories highin a building in Anchorage. It was right on the Inlet and Elmendorf was basically right across from us. One of the groups (don’t recall Blue Angels or Thunderbirds) would practice when they were in Alaska. They’d swoop right by our window. Stunning, loud, and beautiful.
Airliners landing one after another are often warned about wake turbulence from other planes up to 10 miles in front of them.
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Wake turbulence - Thanks
Couldn’t think of the name.
Jet exhaust blast tends to be a little “warmish”. Couple of F4s. Thought I had all the running ones pegged. Missed a couple - Oops...
I was on a MJ-1 bomblift.
It is a checked account, just a different color like Secretary Hegseth. Hegseth retweeted it.
So,four of them became corpse men?😳
They put the thunder in the bird!
“So safety and compliance with regulations is anti-patriotic.”
I suspect you are one of those who never, ever exceeds the speed limit. And still wears a chinese virus mask?
Regulations, you know.
Some of us like stuff like this.
The Ad Hominem attacks don't make your argument. And it's a false analogy between driving a car on a roadway and flying over a crowd.
It's all fun and games until a flock of ingested seagulls puts you down in the sand. And it's not like a Blue Angels pilot hasn't crashed before:
- 1946 Blue Angels crash - Lt. Ross “Robby” Robinson was killed during a performance when a wingtip broke off his Bearcat, sending him into an unrecoverable spin.
- 1952 Blue Angels Mid-Air Collision - Two Panthers collided during a demonstration in Corpus Christi, Texas. One pilot was killed.
- October 1958 Blue Angels crash - Cmdr. Robert Nicholls Glasgow died during an orientation flight just days after reporting for duty as the new Blue Angels leader.
- September 1966 crash at Canadian International Air Show - Lt. Cmdr. Dick Oliver crashed his Tiger and was killed at the Canadian International Air Show in Toronto.
- February 1967 Blue Angels Tiger crash - Lt Frank Gallagher was killed when his Tiger stalled during a practice Half Cuban 8 maneuver and spun into the ground.
- February 1967 Blue Angels Tiger crash - Capt. Ronald Thompson was killed when his Tiger struck the ground during a practice formation loop.
- January 1968 Blue Angels crash - Opposing solo Lt. Bill Worley was killed when his Tiger crashed during a practice double Immelman.
- August 1970 Blue Angels F-4J Phantom crash - Lt. Ernie Christensen belly-landed his F-4J Phantom at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids when he inadvertently left the landing gear in the up position. He ejected safely, while the aircraft slid off the runway.
- June 1971 Blue Angels Phantom crash - CDR Harley Hall safely ejected after his Phantom caught fire and crashed during practice over Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island.
- February 1972 Blue Angels F-4J Phantom II crash - Lt. Larry Watters was killed when his F-4J Phantom II struck the ground, upright while practicing inverted flight, during winter training at NAF El Centro.
- March 1973 Blue Angels multi-aircraft mid-air collision - Capt. John Fogg, Lt. Marlin Wiita and LCDR Don Bentley survived a multi-aircraft mid-air collision during practice over the Superstition Mountains in California.
- July 1973 F-4 Phantoms mid-air collision - 2 pilots and crew chiefs were killed in a mid-air collision between 2 Phantoms over Lakehurst, NJ during an arrival practice. Team Leader LCDR Skip Umstead, Capt. Mike Murphy and ADJ1 Ron Thomas perished.
- February 1977 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash - Lt. Nile Kraft was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during practice.
- November 1978 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash - Navy Lieutenant Michael Curtin was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground after a low roll during arrival maneuvers at NAS Miramar.
- February 1982 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash - Lt. Cmdr Stu Powrie was killed when his Skyhawk struck the ground during winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro, California.
- July 1985 Blue Angels Skyhawk crash - Lead and Opposing Solo Skyhawks collided during a show at Niagara Falls, killing opposing solo Lt. Cmdr. Mike Gershon. Lt. Andy Caputi ejected and parachuted to safety.
- February 1987 Blue Angels Hornet crash - Lt. Dave Anderson ejected from his Hornet after a dual engine flameout during practice near El Centro, CA.
- January 1990 Two Blue Angels Hornets mid-air collision - Two Blue Angel Hornets suffered a mid-air collision during a practice at El Centro. Marine Corps Maj. Charles Moseley ejected safely and Cmdr. Pat Moneymaker was able to land his airplane.
- October 1999 Blue Angels Hornet crash - Lt. Cmdr. Kieron O’Connor, and Lt. Kevin Colling were killed after striking the ground during circle and arrival maneuvers in Valdosta, Georgia.
- December 2004 Blue Angels Hornet crash - Lt. Ted Steelman ejected from his F/A-18 approximately one mile off Perdido Key after his aircraft struck the water, suffering catastrophic engine and structural damage.
- April 2007 Blue Angels Hornet crash - Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis was killed after crashing his Hornet near the end of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort airshow in Beaufort, South Carolina.
- June 2016 Blue Angels Hornet crash - Capt. Jeff “Kooch” Kuss died just after takeoff in his F/A-18 Hornet during a practice run for The Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, Tennessee. Capt. Kuss ejected, but his parachute was immediately engulfed in flames, causing him to fall to his death.
I remember as clear as it was yesterday, when I was a kid, the Blue Angels were doing a flyover in the area. I heard them and ran outside and looked up and one flew right over my house at a VERY low altitude.
I was absolutely thrilled at how lucky I was to have seen it up close!
Back when I was in my mid-teens, my aunt was chief of nursing at Myrtle Beach AFB (when their was such a thing). It was home to one or two A-10 squadrons, so they were not an uncommon site in the area. One summer (this is mid-80’s) I was visiting with a cousin and we were hanging out on the beach. Two Tomcats from God only knows where came roaring up the shore line maybe 100 yards or less from the beach and at a pretty low altitude. They were subsonic, but probably not by much. A lot of the other beach-goers were miffed. I was hoping they’d circle back and make a few more passes. It was impressive.
I’m guessing 1 or 2 went into a frenzy running for cover in gender neutral bathroom.
That’s horrible- did they ever investigate that incident?
The battalion just ahead of us during Operation Hastings was bombed by an Air Force F-100 who didn’t respond to radio calls, smoke grenades, or air panels. Killed 22 of our Marines.
Check out the Air Museum on base also. First Rate. Plan on spending a few hours.
We were crossing the Cam Lo River near the Razorback.
The Rockpile was a half-mile away.
The whole thing was swept under the rug.
None of the versions I heard were anywhere near the truth.
The bottom line is that one of the A-4 pilots got a little trigger-happy.
His wingman flew directly over my head.
If he had released his bombs...
good snark
“a frenzy”
“terrifyingly close”
“extent of injuries”
Well, it IS a NYC rag. Dodging pigeon shiite is as bad as exciting as the sky gets for them.
What level of experience or knowledge lets you make that statement?
Are you a fighter pilot?
It looks like no punishment.
Blue Angels’ Close Beach Flyby Results in No Reprimands for Pilots
New York Times
July 16, 2026, 6:00 p.m. ET
https://archive.is/sBqD2#selection-3885.0-3885.66
“Flight debrief complete,” Hung Cao, the acting secretary of the Navy, said in a social media post accompanied by a video of the flyby. “No reprimands. No firings. No problem.”
“That’s the sound of Freedom!” Mr. Cao added.
You and I have seen too many things that happened and know they happened yet the official records are either negligently or knowingly wrong.
Which statement?
Why is this news again?
It’s Pensacola Air Show Weekend this Saturday.
The Blues have been practicing ALL WEEK out on Santa Rosa Island.
The Blues ARE BASED in Pensacola.
Them flying close on the beach should be a surprise to no one.
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