A famous stunt pilot has died in a horrific plane crash.
Rob Holland, who has been World Freestyle Aerobatic Champion six times and been crowned US National Aerobatic Champion on 13 occasions, lost his life in an accident on Thursday at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. He was to perform at an air show there this weekend.
Tributes have poured in to the 50-year-old man, described as “one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history”. Rob, well known for his wild aerobatic routine at air shows all over the world, launched his own airshow career in 2002, flying planes like the Pitts S-2C, Ultimate 20-300S, MX2, and eventually his custom-designed MXS-RH.
Circumstances around the accident at the US Air Force hub remain unclear but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Department of Defence (DOD) are investigating.
A statement posted to Holland’s official Facebook page confirmed his passing. It read: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I am sharing that Rob Holland lost his life today, 24 April 2025, in an accident at Langley AFB, VA. The cause of the crash is not known at this time, and is under investigation by the FAA, NTSB, and DOD.
“Rob was one of the most respected and inspiring aerobatic pilots in aviation history. 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. We would greatly appreciate your respect to the privacy of his family and friends. And remember…. Never ever give up on your dreams. Blue skies.”
The pilot, who had amassed more than 15,000 flight hours in more than 180 types of aircraft, won several accolades over the years, including US National Freestyle Champion 14 times. Incredibly, he was US National Aerobatic Champion 13 consecutive times from 2011.
Pete Muntean, a journalist for CNN who knew Rob personally, tweeted: “Very sad to report champion aerobatic pilot Rob Holland was killed during landing at Langley Air Force Base where he was to perform at this weekend’s air show, according posts from his verified social media accounts. Rob was a good man, incredible pilot, and friend. RIP.”
The stunt pilot, born in New England, learned to fly as a teenager and then studied Aviation Flight Operations and Aviation Management from Daniel Webster College in the mid 1990s. He also held an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, but decided to launch his own air shows in 2002 when, at 28, he was already an experienced aviator.
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