U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Pilot Killed in Third Military Air Crash This Week

A U.S. Air Force pilot died after his jet crashed in Nevada during routine exercises on Wednesday, military officials said.

The Thunderbirds pilot, whose identity has not yet been released, was killed after his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed over the Nevada Testa and Training Range during a routine aerial demonstration training flight, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement. Officials are investigating the cause of the crash, according to the Air Force.

The incident marked the third U.S. military aircraft crash this week and the fifth fatality. Four Marines were killed in a helicopter crash while practicing desert landings in Southern California on Tuesday, officials said. Earlier that day, a Marine AV-8B Harrier attack jet crashed after taking off from the Djibouti-Ambouli International Airport. The pilot is reported to be in stable condition, according to Stars and Stripes.

The Air Force said the Thunderbirds team will no longer participate at the March Air Reserve Base’s “The March Field Air and Space Expo.”