Blue Angels, Thunderbird jets crash on same day in separate incidents

One of the famous Blue Angels jets reportedly crashed during a practice run in Smyrna, Tennessee, outside of Nashville, on Thursday afternoon. An Air Force Thunderbird jet also crashed earlier that day after a ceremony in Colorado Springs.

The Blue Angels crash happened near Interstate 24 just after 3 p.m. local time, killing the pilot, Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss. No one on the ground was hurt and no other injuries were reported. 

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According to his official Blue Angels biography, Kuss joined the elite acrobatics team in September 2014 and accumulated more than 1,400 flight hours. He was a native of Durango, Colorado.

The crash happened about two miles from the runway, according to a release by the Navy, and a full investigation is pending. 

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The Navy said in a news release that the pilot was beginning to take off during an afternoon practice session when the crash happened. Five other F/A-18 jets landed safely moments after the crash.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the Blue Angels after this tragic loss. I know that the Navy and Marine Corps Team is with me. We will investigate this accident fully and do all we can to prevent similar incidents in the future," Adm. John Richardson, the Navy's top officer, said in a Facebook post.

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The Blue Angels flew over Nashville on Thursday morning as a practice run for this weekend's Great Tennessee Airshow, one of dozens of demonstrations the team of F-18 jets perform across the country throughout the year. But following the crash, the team's appearance was canceled. 

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Earlier Thursday, in a separate incident, an Air Force Thunderbird crashed after flying over the Air Force Academy's graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs. President Obama was present and had delivered the commencement speech.

The pilot safely ejected, and even met with President Obama after the crash. White House spokesman Josh Earnest says the president thanked the pilot for his service and expressed his relief that he wasn't seriously injured. 

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Additional reporting by the Associated Press.

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