1950
- July 7 – (Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland) – The third prototype of three Vought XF7U-1 Cutlass twin-tailed fighters, BuNo 122474, suffered an engine explosion during a flight exhibition. Vought test pilot Paul Thayer ejected and parachuted into two feet of water; the airframe impacted on a Patuxent River island. Thayer was returned safely to the admiral's reviewing stand, where the show announcer asked "What will you do for an encore Mr. Thayer?" The pilot had fractured a small bone at the base of his spine – he later told Vought management that he was the only manager who actually "broke his ass for the Company."
Read more about this topic: List Of Air Show Accidents And Incidents