Dale Snodgrass (May 13, 1949 – July 24, 2021)[1] was a United States Navy aviator and air show performer who according to the Spokane Spokesman-Review was considered one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time.

[6] His father had been a World War II Marine aviator flying F4U Corsairs in the Pacific and later became a Grumman engineering test pilot.

[6] After high school, Snodgrass attended the University of Minnesota on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was also an All-American swimmer.

[7] Having flown F-14 demos at airshows for 14 years, he has additionally qualified in other warbirds, like the F-86 Sabre, P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, T-6 Texan, MiG-17, MiG-21, A-4 Skyhawk, and F-5 Tiger.

[7] At Draken International, Snodgrass served as their Chief Pilot as well as the Director of Deployed Operations and Congressional Liaison.

[1][5][7] He also taught formation flying and aerobatics to warbird owners, and provided upset training for corporate pilots and MS-760 Paris Jet customers.

[9][14][15] The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has cited the pilot’s failure to remove the flight control lock as the probable cause of the crash.

[16][17] In June 2022, the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida dedicated its Ready Room display and an exhibit to Snodgrass.