Fatal Crash Ends Travis Air Expo

Officials at Travis AFB, Calif., ended the Thunder over Solano Air Expo following the death of a stunt pilot performing at the event. Eddie Andreini, 77, of Half Moon Bay, Calif., was killed on May 4 when his vintage PT-17 biplane crashed and caught on fire while performing aerial aerobatic maneuvers at the show. The airplane hit the ground upside down and immediately burst into flames, reported San Francisco’s KGO TV 7 news station. Attempts by Air Force personnel to rescue the pilot were unsuccessful. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Eddie Andreini,” stated Travis officials in a posting at the base’s Facebook page. “Our Travis team responded to this tragic incident to ensure the safety of everyone on the installation,” they said. Andreini had performed in nearly 1,000 air shows, won numerous awards, and, in 2013, was inducted into the International Council of Air Shows Hall of Fame, according to KGO’s report.