Three Italian Aermacchi MB-339 fighter jets collide in midair at the Ramstein air base in Germany, killing 70 people and causing serious injuries to 346 others. It's one of the worst air show disasters in history.
The accident occurred at the culmination of a complex maneuver by Frecce Tricolori, Italy's military stunt-flight team. Known as “the pierced heart,” the exercise calls for two groups of aircraft to form a large heart shape in front of the audience, with a solo jet flying through the lower tip of the heart at the completion of the trick. The culmination of this maneuver occurs only 135 feet above the crowd. When performed flawlessly, the stunt is exhilarating.
But with all the close-quarters aerial maneuvering, there's zero margin for error.
Read Full Article »