PENSACOLA BEACH: The U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron said Wednesday it is conducting a safety review after social media footage showed one of its jets flying low over a crowd of beachgoers during a morning event.
The incident occurred during a “Breakfast with the Blues” event, according to North Florida ABC affiliate WEAR, which first reported the flyover.
Dramatic video shows the U.S. Navy Blue Angels making a low-altitude flyover above Pensacola Beach, Florida, on Wednesday. Navy officials confirmed in a statement that Blue Angels leadership is “reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety… pic.twitter.com/ZUa1ryk4X8
— ABC News (@ABC) July 15, 2026
In a statement, the Blue Angels described the incident as a “low-altitude pass” that occurred during an arrival maneuver.
“During an arrival maneuver, an aircraft flew lower than standard profiles, resulting in a disturbance on the beach that affected civilian chairs and umbrellas,” the statement said.
Video circulating on social media showed the jet’s pass sending beach chairs and umbrellas flying as spectators looked on.
Crowds at the Pensacola Beach Air Show got a close look at the Blue Angels as the Navy’s elite flight team made dramatically low passes over the Gulf on Wednesday, sending tents and other items on the beach flying. pic.twitter.com/AyvHYPsWHF
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 16, 2026
Ashley Korn, who was among those watching the event, told WEAR she had never witnessed anything like it in the decade she has attended.
“I’ve been coming for 10 years and I’ve never seen a pass like that in my life,” Korn said. “I literally thought we were going to be taken out by Blue Angels, but it was amazing.”
No injuries were reported.
The Blue Angels said team leadership is now examining what led to the maneuver.
“The safety of our hometown community, spectators, and our pilots is our highest priority,” the squadron said in its statement. “Team leadership is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety review to ensure all operations adhere to strict Navy and FAA safety standards.”
The Blue Angels, based at Naval Air Station Pensacola, are among the Navy’s most visible public outreach programs, performing precision aerial demonstrations at air shows across the country. The squadron did not immediately say when its review would be completed.
