Stunt pilot Rob Holland dies in crash at USAF base ahead of air show

David Matthews, New York Daily News on Apr 24, 2025

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Famed stunt pilot Rob Holland died Thursday when his plane crashed at a U.S. Air Force Base in Virginia days before an upcoming air show.

The crash occurred around 11:39 a.m. when Holland’s experimental MX Aircraft MXS was approaching Joint Base Langley-Eustis. Holland was the only person aboard the two-seat aircraft.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation of the crash, the cause of which is unknown. The Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense are assisting the probe.

“Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history,” a statement posted on his official Facebook page read. “Even with an absolutely impressive list of accomplishments, both in classical competition aerobatics and within the air show world, Rob was the most humble person with a singular goal to simply be better than he was yesterday.”

Holland’s death comes just ahead of the biennial Air Power Over Hampton Roads air show, which is scheduled for this weekend. Holland flew at the 2023 event.

The base confirmed the fatal crash and said it was related to the air show.

“Today we lost a friend of our Air Force family,” Col. Matthew Altman, Joint Base Langley-Eustis commander, said in a statement. “On behalf of our entire JBLE team, I want to express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of this incredible aviator.”