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77-year-old pilot dies in California air show crash

Eddie Andreini, 77, died Sunday when his PT-17 aircraft crashed while he was attempting an acrobatic aerial maneuver at the Thunder Over Solano air show.
Airshow Crash

(CNN) — The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into the cause of a crash at a California air show over the weekend that left a 77-year-old pilot dead.

The agency will investigate the pilot, the aircraft, and any operational and environmental factors.

“The NTSB will initiate an investigation to determine the facts and conditions, which will lead us to the probable cause and any possible recommendations in the future to prevent this accident from happening again,” NTSB investigator Howard Plagens told reporters.

Officials focused Monday on the site of the crash at Travis Air Force Base.

“Right now, we’re focusing strictly on the perishable evidence, which is the site with the ground scars, and the wreckage, as it sits before it gets moved and further evaluated,” Plagens said.

Eddie Andreini, 77, died Sunday when his PT-17 aircraft crashed while he was attempting an acrobatic aerial maneuver at the Thunder Over Solano air show.

Andreini had been flying since he was 16 and had been performing at air shows for the past 25 years, according to Col. David Mott.

He added: “No one wants to see an event like this and certainly … our hearts go out and our condolences go out to the Andreini family and his crew.”

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