On this day 8 years ago, a Saugus High School graduate tragically died in a plane crash during a training flight with the Air Force. 

While participating in a U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Slot Pilot Thunderbird 4, Maj. Stephen Del Bagno was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed over the Nevada Test and Training Range during a routine aerial demonstration training flight.

While performing a half-loop maneuver called the “S-Split,” Del Bagno experienced extreme G-forces that caused him to lose consciousness. The investigation showed that the maneuver had him flying inverted for 22 seconds, where he experienced up to two negative G-forces. When he began his descent, the quick transition to more than eight Gs lessened his tolerance to G-forces, which greatly contributed to the crash. 

The effects of the strong G-forces incapacitated Del Bagno for five seconds, making it impossible for him to recover in the second that he had before hitting the ground. 

Del Bagno was a gifted pilot who had performed many extreme and impressive maneuvers prior to the crash. He was enthusiastic and excited about being a part of the Thunderbirds and brought a joyful energy to the team that was greatly missed. 

His death rocked the Air Force, and especially the Thunderbird community, which grieved his loss. Fighter jets flew a missing man formation during a memorial service for Del Bagno at his high school in Santa Clarita in April of 2018. 

The people who had the privilege of knowing Stephen Del Bagno mourn his death to this day, and this tragic accident is still remembered as a horrible loss for Santa Clarita and the Air Force. 

To read yesterday’s Today in SCV History, click here.

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