Aircraft Reportedly Involved In Takeoff Attempt When Accident Occurred

ANN regrets to confirm that RedBull Champion Race Pilot, skydiver and airline Captain, Mike Mangold, has perished in an accident at Apple Valley Airport, in Southern California.

A local witness claims that he saw Mangold's jet with, “...flames were coming out of the end and suddenly it banked to the left and crashed.” The accident reportedly took place at approximately 1420 local time. Mangold hailed from Victorville, CA, worked as an American Airlines 757/767 Captain, and was 60 years old.

According to his jam-packed aero-bio, Mangold, call sign 'Mongo', led a full life. "After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1978, he went on to fly F-4 Phantoms for 10 years, accumulating over 2500 hours including one successful high speed ejection. His missions ranged from Nuclear Weapons Delivery to Air Superiority to Wild Weasel at bases in South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, and Egypt. Mike has flown all models of the F-4 and was the Outstanding Graduate of the Air Force’s “Top Gun” Fighter Weapons School in 1983.

Leaving active military duty in 1989, Mike began his airline career, first with USAir then American Airlines in 1991. He has over 11,000 airliner hours flying the B-727, MD-80, BAE-146, and presently, the B-767, based in LAX. In 1990 Mike started flying Airshows and competition aerobatics in a Super Decathlon.

He has worked his way to the Top flying a Pitts S-1, S-2, Extra 300, Sukhoi-26, and now the Edge 540. Mike has more Red Bull Air Race podium finishes and race wins than any other pilot; he was the 2004, 05 & 07 World Champion. He has won Gold, Sliver, and Bronze at the US National Aerobatic Championships. In 2002 Mike received the “L. Paul Soucy Award” for the highest scoring unlimited aerobatic pilot for the year. Mike was a member of the US Unlimited Aerobatic Team from 2000-04 and a 5 time California Unlimited Aerobatic Champion. His precise and spectacular flying has amazed millions at numerous Airshows around the globe. Mike has over 5000 skydives and is a National Champion in Accuracy and Para-Skiing. He was a US Parachute Team member from 1981-85 and a participant in the World Record Largest Formation Skydive of 300 jumpers over Anapa, Russia in 1996."

The Feds are enroute to the accident site now and an investigation will shortly be under way. ANN will keep you informed... and we send our prayers to his wife, Julie, and the rest of his family.

FMI: http://mikemangold.us