Unfortunately, it is true. Dale "Snort" Snodgrass, a legend in Naval Aviation and the F-14 community was killed in a plane crash yesterday.

https://news.yahoo.com/pilot-d...l?fr=yhssrp_catchall

https://theaviationgeekclub.co...i-marchetti-sm-1019/

https://www.jordanthrilla.com/...s-accident-happened/

RIP Mr Snodgrass

Arguably one of the finest F-14 pilots ever and the author of one of the most iconic naval aviation photos ever.

RIP Snort

We just saw his F-14 at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo two days ago. We also saw him fly a demo there about 20 years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
Arguably one of the finest F-14 pilots ever and the author of one of the most iconic naval aviation photos ever.

RIP Snort

Which photo is that?

Another great American lost. RIP Sir

Wow, sad news.
He was my CO.

I was just talking about him the other day about training with two F-16's and taking them out.
When the jet got back it had a blown airbag and other stuff from getting flogged so hard but made it back with the video footage that we got to watch.
Got to see his Change of Command, screaming past the deck with twin rooster tails following him was pretty cool.
Got a pic of him shaking my hand when I made PO.

Fair Winds and Following sea's Mr. Snodgrass.

The first article posted said he died in Lewiston, Id. and the third article said it was Lewiston, Oh. How in the hell can a detail that important to the event get so screwed up?
Anyone know which is right?

Jim

It was in Idaho. The plane was an Italian Army liaison aircraft, kind of a souped up version of a Cessna O-1 Birddog. Which in itself was sort of a souped up Cessna 170. Should be a very capable aircraft. A bit long in the tooth by now, I will assume.
R.I.P.

OZ

quote:

...the author of one of the most iconic naval aviation photos ever.

This one?

Ward gives detailed background and personal insight into Snort and his place in Navy aviation.

Yes, thank you. 1988 USS American during a dependance cruise, he called it a 'banana pass' since it was a banana-shaped fly-by.

quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:

quote:

...the author of one of the most iconic naval aviation photos ever.

This one?

I met him at NAS Oceana when he was Commander Fighter Wing Atlantic. A true living legend.

Fair winds and following seas Snort. R.I.P.

Mooch looks a bit older today.

RIP Snort.

Fair winds, and following seas.

Fair winds and following seas, sir.

I met him a few times back in the mid-90s. He was a friend of my then-bosses and was in town for a party.

Great man, really really really nice guy.

At least he went out doing what he loved, I guess.


RIP Snort.

Two stories I’ll share about “Snort”, both at the High on Kalamazoo Airshow

The first was a famous “Snort” oops. As the official F-14 Air Demonstration Pilot Snodgrass did the demo flying. Typically he would join with the other Grumman Cat’s (Wildcat, Hellcat, Bearcat, Tigercat, and Panther) for the “Cat Flight”. The formation would form into a V and fly down the show line with Snort pulling into position in the formation as they neared the end of the runway. The Wildcat was flying as fast as it could and the Tomcat was flirting with a stall. Snort would hold formation to a bit past show center then accelerate and pull up hard in the missing man formation. He would then depart allowing the other aircraft to land before his demo. He would then fly the full Tomcat demo. This is where it got interesting.

As part of the demo, Snort would do a low altitude high speed pass down the main runway past the crowd. Normally this was around Mach 0.85-0.9. You could clearly see the Tomcat was just a head of the sound so he was flirting on the edge, he would the pull up and turn away giving you a nice view right up the turkey feathers. This video, second flight segment after he introduces himself and RIO will show you what that looks like...



All usually went perfect, except for one day. I don’t know if the barometric pressure changed, or he caught a tail wind, or just flirted a little too close to that line but as Snort departed he crossed the line. My partner on the FD also had a job at a local drafting supply company. The second floor had a glass wall that faced the airport. That wall ended up in the parking lot below in tiny pieces, as did many other windows in that immediate area.


The other story was a few years later, and the last time I saw Snort. I was a plane captain on the static line for another Tomcat crew. However there was an F-18 pilot (nameless to protect identity) who was a WMU Grad came to give the few of us taking a summer class a talk. Knowing I was a P. C. but hadn’t been assigned a crew yet we struck up a friendship in the hopes we’d be paired. That didn’t work out. BUT we did hang out a bit together during the show. That is when I learned about the Zap game. Unfortunately an interesting ‘private security guy’ had overhead the conversation and when we arrived on the flight line there was a sticker on the nose of most of the aircraft on the flight line.

On Sunday the crowd had mostly cleared, as had many of the pilots. The static line was pretty bare. He grabbed me to take a walk with him and we headed for the flight end of the line. He fully intended to Zap “Snort’s” Tomcat, a feat that every other pilot dreamed of, as his crew chief was noted for NEVER letting anyone near the aircraft.

We walked down to the Tomcat with no one in site. My job was a look out. If I saw anyone I was just to say “hey, did you find Snort?” and he would egress. He approached casually looking around then walked around the aft end. As he cleared the far end of the tail section motion caught my eye…. As the crew chief rolled out of the near engine intake dropping almost silently to the ground and quick as a cat popped up under the opposite wing. I didn’t have time to say anything, we were busted. An awkward casual conversation ensued. He rejoined me with a “Damn it, where did he come from….????”


That first year I had a chance to talk to him at a little party held for the pilots and show staff. Snort was very approachable and the kind of guy that I'd describe as that cool neighbor. He made you feel like you'd always known him after 5 minutes of conversation.


His last demo Tomcat was flown in, decommissioned and placed in the Museum in Kalamazoo. If you lived in Kalamazoo, and loved the airshow, Snort had a special place in your heart. He was very popular and very well treated.

Some detail into the crash

This is tough...

That is painful to see.

Yeah. That was awful to watch.