A biplane pilot was killed in a fiery crash while performing in an air show at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield on Sunday afternoon.
The victim was identified as 77-year-old Eddie Andreini of Half Moon Bay, Col. David Mott of Travis Air Force Base said at a news conference Sunday evening.
"Mr. Andreini had been flying since he was 16 years old and performing in air shows for the last 25 years," Mott said.
The veteran pilot was performing an "acrobatic aerial maneuver" in his open-cockpit Stearman biplane about 2:05 p.m. during the Travis Air Force Base Thunder Over Solano air show when the plane crashed, according to Mott.
The colonel said the plane was upside down and "fairly close to the ground" when it crashed and burned.
>> Photos: Pilot killed at California air show
Travis Air Force Base fire crews responded and pronounced Andreini dead at the scene.
The crash occurred far away from the tens of thousands of people in attendance at the air show, and no spectators were injured, according to base officials.
Pilots of both civilian and military aircraft had been performing various aerial maneuvers before a crowd of people when the crash occurred, base spokeswoman Rachel Martinez said.
The deadly crash prompted the air force base to shut down and cancel the remainder of the show, which was scheduled to end at 5:30 p.m.
Mott said he didn't know whether winds – which measured about 10 to 15 nautical miles at the time of the crash – played a role in the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, he said.
Fairfield police temporarily shut down eastbound lanes of Air Base Parkway at Peabody Road to provide traffic control in the area. The intersection has since reopened.
The Thunder Over Solano air show last took place at the military base three years ago, Martinez said.
Base officials are requesting any photos or video footage of the crash taken by people at the air show to assist with the investigation.
Anyone with images of the accident is asked to call (707) 424-2000 for further instructions. For complete coverage, visit KTVU.com.
