PENSACOLA, Fla. — The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels said they are conducting a safety review after one of the demonstration team's aircraft made an unusually low pass over a crowded Florida beach during a pre-air show flyover, sending sand and beach equipment into the air and startling spectators.
The incident occurred on July 15 during the annual "Breakfast with the Blues" event at Pensacola Beach, part of activities leading up to the Pensacola Beach Air Show. Videos shared on social media showed a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet flying low along the shoreline before banking away, while powerful jet wash blew sand across the beach and toppled umbrellas, chairs and tents.
In a statement, the Blue Angels said the aircraft "flew lower than standard profiles" during an arrival maneuver, causing "a disturbance on the beach that affected civilian chairs and umbrellas." The team said the safety of the local community, spectators and pilots remains its highest priority and that leadership is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver to ensure operations complied with U.S. Navy and Federal Aviation Administration safety standards.
No official reports of serious injuries had been released as of Thursday. Some local media, citing witnesses, reported that airborne beach equipment struck several people, but authorities had not confirmed any injuries.
Witnesses described the flyover as both alarming and memorable. Ashley Korn, interviewed by local broadcaster WEAR, said she had attended the event for years but had "never seen a pass like that" before. Other spectators said they initially believed the approaching aircraft was the larger C-130J "Fat Albert" support aircraft because of how close it appeared.
The Blue Angels, based at Naval Air Station Pensacola, have performed aerial demonstrations over Pensacola Beach for decades. The annual air show typically attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and includes the traditional morning flyover before the main demonstration weekend.
The Navy has not indicated whether the review could result in changes to future flight profiles or disciplinary action. Organizers have not announced any changes to the scheduled Pensacola Beach Air Show while the review continues.
