US F-18 jet crashes in San Diego

Rockville · Post by **Rockville** » 08 Dec 2008, 22:00

A US military F-18 fighter jet has crashed into a residential area of San Diego, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said.

The San Diego Fire Department described the scene of the crash as "a heavily-populated area" near the 805 freeway.

TV footage showed plumes of white smoke rising from several houses. It is not clear if there are any casualties.

The jet crashed as it prepared to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and the pilot had ejected, the FAA said.

The crash occurred two miles (3.2km) from the base, it added.

One local resident, Scott Patterson, said he had seen "two big bangs".

"The smoke came up. We don't know what it was," he told KNX radio.

The F-18 is a supersonic fighter used widely by the US Marine Corps and Navy.

BBC News, 8 october 2008, 20:52GMT

Miles · Post by **Miles** » 08 Dec 2008, 22:04

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... ional/home

r.e.hendriks · Post by **r.e.hendriks** » 09 Dec 2008, 09:09

Hi all,

I saw some images of the debris on television this morning and although
they talk about one pilot, it looks like it was a two-seater. The canopy was
showed, which really looked like a dual-canopy. So it probably is a
F/A-18D of the US Marine Corps.

Best regards, Rob

CRUISECONTROL · Post by **CRUISECONTROL** » 09 Dec 2008, 09:55

To bad that there were 3 people killed in the house.

CNN news wrote: The pilot of the F/A-18 Hornet ejected safely and was taken to a hospital, the Marine Corps said in a news release. The pilot, whose name was not released, was the only occupant of the two-seat aircraft, the Marine Corps said.

so it seems to be indeed a F/A-18D

Read more about this story. (Cnn)

Flyingdutchman · Post by **Flyingdutchman** » 09 Dec 2008, 11:07

Seconds after the crash this footage was shot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3gK7ZjnLTk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Evert

Thermal · Post by **Thermal** » 09 Dec 2008, 14:25

The F/A-18D plane, which authorities described as disabled, was trying to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The jet had just performed landing training on a Navy aircraft carrier before the pilot reported having trouble, according to the Marine Corps.

Strange decision from the pilot to let a disabled plane come in to land over a residential area. He probably misjudged the severity of the problem.

K-9 · Post by **K-9** » 09 Dec 2008, 15:15

Well apparently the plane couldn't be controlled any more.
That's what i've heard last night.

If it would be so easy to let a plane come down where you would, none would come down such way....

Let us be "lucky" only 3 people lost there lives..... Could have been more severe looking at the environment.

slungel01 · Post by **slungel01** » 09 Dec 2008, 19:49

[quote="Thermal]Strange decision from the pilot to let a disabled plane come in to land over a residential area. He probably misjudged the severity of the problem.
[/quote]

Please let's not speculate as we weren't there ourselves in that cockpit.
Its sad enough it happend.

Rumours suggest it was F/A-18D from the VMFAT-101 with only one crew member on board.

Stafhunter · Post by **Stafhunter** » 09 Dec 2008, 20:26

Flyingdutchman wrote:Seconds after the crash this footage was shot!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3gK7ZjnLTk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Evert

they are not afraid of inhaling dangerous substances, here can you see when you do that
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=ez7i17g9Cm0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tim Raats · Post by **Tim Raats** » 10 Dec 2008, 13:37

Hi All,

The Us navy site gives 164017 of VMFAT-101 as the one!

http://safetycenter.navy.mil/statistics ... ummary.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Greetings,

Tim Raats