Kuss was training in the F/A-18 Hornet for the upcoming Great Tennessee Airshow when the crash occurred.
In the footage, his jet is seen climbing rapidly through the air before nose-diving beyond the trees. Moments later, a massive cloud of black smoke billows into the sky.
The pilot’s body has been flown to his home in Florida for burial.
“He was humble, humorous and handsome. He made everyone feel like he was their best friend. We learned so much from him,” his mother, Janet Kuss, told the Durango Herald.
Investigators are currently determining the cause of the crash, and no information has yet been publicly released.
"We're kind of just taking it a day at a time now," Petty Officer 2nd Class Jennifer LeBron, a public affairs office for the Blue Angels, told Military.com.
Formed in 1946 to bolster public interest in Naval Air operations, 26 pilots have died during exhibition or training flights over the course of the Blue Angels history.
The team is currently on a temporary stand down as the investigation continues. The Blue Angels are scheduled to fly 60 demonstrations at 31 locations this year, including 21 major events. All upcoming events remain in limbo.
