F-18 crash near Miramar MCAS

[Larry Mangum]

Pilot is suppose to have ejected safetly. Can see the smoke out of my office window.  Probably 2 to 3 miles away.

[jimmydeanno]

Article about it already: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081208/ap_on_re_us/military_jet_crash

It crashed in a densely populated neighborhood sparking at least one house fire...

[Larry Mangum]

Two houses have burned, and they think a mother and two small children are dead. They also ahve evacuated the area due to the smoke being toxic according to the local news channel.

[PaulR]

Wow...  Sad news regarding the loss of life.

[PHall]

And the major reason they closed El Toro was because of urban encroachment.

Anybody wanna bet how long it will take the NIMBY's and their lawyers to demand that Miramar be closed because it is a hazard to the community?

[Duke Dillio]

Very tragic and very sad.  My prayers go out to the families involved.

Did anyone chance to see this part though?

A truck backed over the flaming debris, Houston said, and the driver jumped out and yelled, "I just filled up my gas tank." The truck exploded shortly afterward.

What the?

[PhoenixRisen]

Some reported feeling a mini "earthquake" up to 10 miles away from the crash site.  I'm about 10 miles from it, and I never felt anything.

Sad part is, they interviewed the guy who lost his family, and his two children were 1 month and 15 months old.

[Flying Pig]

Sad deal.  We made some calls.  The latest word is that he had engine trouble shortly after departing the carrier and was instructed to head to Miramar vs. land back on the carrier.   On final, he experienced a total aircraft failure, engines out, all electrical and hydraulic.  No choice but to eject right there.   Cant fly a dead plane.  That house was literally on the final approach path.

[PhoenixRisen]

On final, he experienced a total aircraft failure, engines out, all electrical and hydraulic.  No choice but to eject right there.

Where'd you get that info, sir?

[PHall]

On final, he experienced a total aircraft failure, engines out, all electrical and hydraulic.  No choice but to eject right there.

Where'd you get that info, sir?

If he told ya, he would have to kill ya.

Gotta protect those sources!


Seriously, he can't tell ya because whoever told him could get into a LOT of trouble for just telling him.

The military takes this very seriously and people have served time for breaking these rules.