On Saturday, a US Navy T-6A Texan II training airplane crashed near Las Cruces, New Mexico. The Navy reported the two-man crew ejected during their “routine training flight.”
On Monday, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed near Lemoore Naval Air Station in California, as reported by the Navy. The single pilot is said to have ejected safely. Read more
The US Navy reported two F/A-18Cs crashed while flying from the USS Carl Vinson in the Pacific.
Two F/A-18 Hornets from Carrier Air Wing 17 embarked on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) crashed at 5:40 p.m. local time, today, while operating at sea in the western Pacific Ocean.
The F/A-18C is the single-seat version of the legacy Hornet. One pilot was “rapidly located” while a search was conducted for the second. The search was eventually suspended and the pilot, 26-year old Lt. Nathan Poloski, was declared presumed dead. The aircraft are believed to have collided.
Also at the Military Times (and updated). Read more
The US Marine Corps has identified the pilot who was killed in the crash of his F/A-18C Hornet March 1st:
Captain Reid B. Nannen, 32, of Hopedale, Ill…died March 1 from injuries resulting from an F/A-18C Hornet crash on the Fallon Range Training Complex, approximately 70 miles east of Naval Air Station Fallon, Nev.
The reports also indicate Capt Nannen — “Eeyore” — was a TopGun Read more
Update: The Navy announced the pilot died in the crash. The name of the pilot has been withheld until 24 hours after notification of next-of-kin.
A US Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet crashed on Saturday while supporting the Naval Strike and Warfare Center “Top Gun” course.
The Navy has issued several releases since then on the follow-up:
Initial reports from the scene indicate the aircraft is a total loss. It took Navy personnel several hours to reach the crash site as it was located in remote, rugged, mountainous terrain…
The reports say they are “continuing to search” for the pilot. Having located the aircraft, that is not a good omen.
Also at the Marine Corps Times, CNN, Christian Science Monitor, and the Stars and Stripes.
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According to the US Navy, an F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot ejected last Wednesday and was picked up by a local fisherman. The pilot is reportedly hospitalized in critical condition, with local news reports saying he was having trouble breathing when the fisherman recovered him.
The pilot (or aviator, in Navy parlance) was ultimately picked up by an MH-60 — from the same squadron that suffered a helicopter loss the week prior.
The Super Hornet was assigned to the “Pukin’ Dogs” of VFA-143 out of Oceana Naval Air Station. As is the usual practice, the Navy will investigate the incident.
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The Navy announced that a US Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet crashed on Fallon range on Saturday.
The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and was treated at Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon for minor injuries and has been released.
An OCF article notes the likely common experience of Eric Creekmore, a former US Marine Major and F/A-18 Hornet pilot, as he tried to ‘do the Christian thing’ and point out a fellow pilot’s sin to him:
A squadron buddy in the process of getting a divorce had just finished telling me of a weekend with his new girlfriend. Technically, he was still married — the papers weren’t yet signed. Trying to be the “good” Christian, I saw this as my opportunity to point out his transgression. After a brief treatise on fidelity and marriage, I punctuated my comments by calling him, “Mr. Immorality.” That would make clear the error of his ways and with any luck I would soon be leading him in the sinner’s prayer.
I eased back in my office chair with a sense of pride at my work for the cause of Christ. Looking for additional opportunities to “help,” I asked why he was getting a divorce in the first place…
It turns out the situation wasn’t quite as Creekmore imagined, and his arrogant self-righteousness was soon replaced with sorrow. His attitude, however, Read more
The government has filed an appeal over the $17.8M award to the family of Don Yoon, whose family was killed when an F/A-18C crashed into their home in 2008 — killing Yoon’s wife, mother-in-law, and two children.
The formal notice of appeal in the case brought by Don Yoon and his relatives was filed Tuesday and did not specify what the government will contest…
The award was a fraction of the $56M sought in the original lawsuit. The government had previously conceded liability; the only issue has been the size of the compensation to the family members.