Post-WWII plane pilot dies in W Virginia air show crash

The West Virginia Air National Guard said that no spectators were injured and that the crash site was far away from anyone at the show.

Still, air show officials posted a notice on their website encouraging those who witnessed the crash to seek support if they felt viewing it had been traumatic.

The crash occurred yesterday, a day after a stunt pilot crashed at a Nevada air show on Friday, killing himself and eight others.

"We were fortunate that the safety measures put in place by the Federal Aviation Administration ensured the safety of those on the ground," Maj Gen James Hoyer, adjutant general of the West Virginia National Guard, said in a statement.

"Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the family members of the deceased."

Officials have not released the pilot's name. The fixed-wing, single-engine T-28 plane is registered to John Mangan of Concord, North Carolina, and was built in 1958, according to a Federal Aviation Administration registry.

The Journal of Martinsburg reported that the aircraft lost control during a six-plane stunt formation and then crashed on a runway near hangers at the airfield, causing thousands at the show to cry, hug and pray afterward.

The plane was part of the T-28 Warbird Aerobatic Formation Demonstration Team, which performs at air shows around the country.