An F-18 just crashed in San Diego

[Strega 0]

Local Paper

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/2...-bn08plane.html

Live Video:

http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1

[bikeslut 1]

my wife was at UTC at the time; said the smoke was incredible.

Lead singer of Soul Camp had bits of wreckage in his yard! How's that for two close calls? Word on the street is nobody on street was injured, and the pilot is in fair condition... Landed inUCHS baseball field

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

Soul Camp??

didn't they open for you at Tio Leos a few weeks ago????(*chris i think the singers name was...)

world smaller every day!!!

glad it's only "pieces" in his yard...VERY happy no one died.

and it's been a little quieter, jet-wise anyway, than normal since it happened...or maybe the two things are not related....recording sounds under their flight path makes our audio guys go bonkers...

but alas, STILL glad no one got hurt.

Blind

[tntmo 887]

I knew something was up since we had a lot of F-18's landing here at NAS North Island. Real lucky that nobody was killed.

[bikeslut 1]

Soul Camp??

didn't they open for you at Tio Leos a few weeks ago????(*chris i think the singers name was...)

world smaller every day!!!

glad it's only "pieces" in his yard...VERY happy no one died.

and it's been a little quieter, jet-wise anyway, than normal since it happened...or maybe the two things are not related....recording sounds under their flight path makes our audio guys go bonkers...

but alas, STILL glad no one got hurt.

Blind

yeah, "they opened for us"... I'm in that band too, which is how I heard.

Close call that couldve been worse; two houses ruined, but still...

[Joliet 0]

Goes to show the difference in news coverage. I am hearing at least 2 dead and 2 missing in the burning homes. Ken

[Erick 0]

The casualty count on the ground has changed.

2 confirmed fatalities with some folks still unaccounted for.

[paulmbowers 236]

Not so fast- two reported missing according to pentagon reporter.

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

news sources conflicted early, and now...

updates are showing some potential injuries etc. ...prayers going out to them....*silence*

now let the press grab the "military in populated areas" story and run with it.

Blind

edited in respect to the people lost today.

[Paul 0]

Hindsight is 20/20. Pilot flew from a ship for 100 miles with engine trouble. Too bad they did not head down the coast (over water) and try to land at North Island or something.

[dirt dame 559]

I was driving around on the freeway and saw the immediate aftermath of the crash from the offramp at La Jolla Village drive. I could see the houses burning under the column of thick black smoke.

[Strega 0]

Hindsight is 20/20. Pilot flew from a ship for 100 miles with engine trouble. Too bad they did not head down the coast (over water) and try to land at North Island or something.

Unfortunately I believe it was a student pilot doing carrier quals, and may have just thought he could save it. That's a lot of $$$ in aircraft, and that had to have been weighing on his mind. He was 1.75 mi from the end of runway 6L when he crashed. He almost made it. Unfortunate series of events.

[Gbus Crisis 0]

He was 1.75 mi from the end of runway 6L when he crashed. He almost made it. Unfortunate series of events.

Wrong target.

He didn't miss the runway by 1.75 miles. He missed acres of empty canyon by 200 feet.

[tntmo 887]

Latest news says three dead, truly unfortunate.

[bikeslut 1]

as sad as it is, it could've been much worse.

That same plane into the high school... Or UTC... Or UCSD

My positive thoughts for the families of the victims and pilot.

[PastaPilot 17]

Please folks as much as you'd like to think you have any idea of what could've been better or what the best course of action is, truth be told you all have no idea. You say you saw it on the news, well the local f'in news is the single most ill informed group of idiots assembled to look good while telling you how little they know about anything.

Figure it was a student practicing 100 miles from Miramar, well in an F-18 100 miles goes by in about 15-20 minutes. Students have a great deal of oversight in flight ops. They likely made very few decisions that weren't made with a great deal of council and with that a decision was made to return to base.

Stop at North Island instead - See above and then when was the last time your vehicle acted up 20 minutes from home and you thought you'd just leave it at a buddy's place less than 2 minutes from your own house when you made it this far with no other problems.

1.6 miles from the runway - you're right it's a crying shame.

200 feet from a canyon - the aircraft was likely traveling around 200 mph when the crew ejected. 200 ft is covered in 0.7 SECONDS. The fact that it was only 200" from the canyon means the crew must've been aiming for the canyon, but if the airplane flew for 10' seconds after the crew ejected before impacting the ground it would've covered over a half mile.

In my professional opinion what happened is a tragedy. The two houses and any individuals on the ground that were lost is horrible. The crew of that aircraft are the only witnesses as to what happened this afternoon. If the Navy/Marines are able to obtain a data recorder a group of individuals will use thatwith the cockpit recordings, radio transmission tapes and crew testimonies and attempt to piece together the puzzle of what happened and will than judge who is at fault. Chances are the folks in the plane acted to the best of there abilities, training and judgements yet unfotunately their professional careers will likely be forever altered. The civilian families that were effected will be justly compensated, but they won't ever feel that way and will likely sue the federal gov't for more only to lose what they did get on legal fees. As far as the military bases in densely populated areas argument goes, guess what Miramar was there long before there were ANY people living around Miramar. One would think if one doesn't think living by a military base is safe, one would not buy a house there. The government selects areas of NO population when building new bases, but the influx of jobs and money creates a densely populated area around the bases.

I'm off the box and going to the store. I'm going to buy a candle for each of the lives that were lost today. I wish all of you a safe night.

[Joliet 0]

Please folks as much as you'd like to think you have any idea of what could've been better or what the best course of action is, truth be told you all have no idea. You say you saw it on the news, well the local f'in news is the single most ill informed group of idiots assembled to look good while telling you how little they know about anything.

Figure it was a student practicing 100 miles from Miramar, well in an F-18 100 miles goes by in about 15-20 minutes. Students have a great deal of oversight in flight ops. They likely made very few decisions that weren't made with a great deal of council and with that a decision was made to return to base.

Stop at North Island instead - See above and then when was the last time your vehicle acted up 20 minutes from home and you thought you'd just leave it at a buddy's place less than 2 minutes from your own house when you made it this far with no other problems.

1.6 miles from the runway - you're right it's a crying shame.

200 feet from a canyon - the aircraft was likely traveling around 200 mph when the crew ejected. 200 ft is covered in 0.7 SECONDS. The fact that it was only 200" from the canyon means the crew must've been aiming for the canyon, but if the airplane flew for 10' seconds after the crew ejected before impacting the ground it would've covered over a half mile.

In my professional opinion what happened is a tragedy. The two houses and any individuals on the ground that were lost is horrible. The crew of that aircraft are the only witnesses as to what happened this afternoon. If the Navy/Marines are able to obtain a data recorder a group of individuals will use thatwith the cockpit recordings, radio transmission tapes and crew testimonies and attempt to piece together the puzzle of what happened and will than judge who is at fault. Chances are the folks in the plane acted to the best of there abilities, training and judgements yet unfotunately their professional careers will likely be forever altered. The civilian families that were effected will be justly compensated, but they won't ever feel that way and will likely sue the federal gov't for more only to lose what they did get on legal fees. As far as the military bases in densely populated areas argument goes, guess what Miramar was there long before there were ANY people living around Miramar. One would think if one doesn't think living by a military base is safe, one would not buy a house there. The government selects areas of NO population when building new bases, but the influx of jobs and money creates a densely populated area around the bases.

I'm off the box and going to the store. I'm going to buy a candle for each of the lives that were lost today. I wish all of you a safe night.

I agree with everything except the "justly compensated" part. If I were at work and a plane fell on my house and killed my family, trust me when I say I would not be justly compensated. My prayers go out to them. Ken

[blind_in_1_ear 0]

well put HondaPilot...tragedy NO DOUBT.

i could never second-guess an incident of that magnitude...

thank you for your perspective, i appreciate it...for me, a lot of what you said is similar to how i "thought it went down"...but being an arm chair pilot is MUCH different than reality, so i am glad you gave some logic to an unfortunate situation.

as i was "seeing things unfold" online, and doing my "job"...i was also thinking about how quick things are being delivered in today's "now, now, now" world...kinda scary.

i was 2 exits from it, couldn't see smoke(*just weird spot...), and got info(*from many sources...and some uninformed as well...) hoped for "good news" but alas not to be...

candles... good idea

Blind

[TrophyHunter 15]

Great perspective Mr. Pilot. My impression is "justly" was for sentence flow as there is never a justly...just compensated.

Minor hijack/soapbox.

Please remember HondaPilot's professional opinion and apply the informed, objective analysis of news events he uses. In my job, decisions are made in miliseconds with sometimes deadly outcomes. Trust me, those involved would rather it ended differently...on all sides.

The news is in the business to sell paper/airtime while keeping the public informed/advertised. There are some good intentions but I think the pressures of "getting the story" override the truth. I can't count the number of times I've been misquoted or printed stories are straight out fiction.

Hijack over. Soapbox stored.

Pray for those who had to bail...and those feeling the loss on the ground...they're going to be living with this for a long time.

[SCHWINN 0]

I have to believe that this pilot did everything he can to ditch his plane in the ravine next to the houses. This is a stretch back but in 1985 a pilot refused to eject over sorrento valley cuz of fatalities he stayed with his jet and witnesses stood and watched as he wedged it in between buildings sideways and crashing into the mtn bank in the back of the businesses. He gave his life to save others . Cheers to God and Country to the people who fight to protect it.

[darylhunter 1]

Just like the great Santini . . .

There are a number of similar stories where pilots stayed with the aircraft till the last possible moment, and sometimes past that.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that this pilot stayed with the AC as long as he could, short of riding it in.

I've seen videos - not of the F/A-18 though - where the pilots ejected at a few feet above ground, only to have the aircraft pitch back up and fly on for a surprisingly long distance.

Frankly, I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often, not just for military AC, but for any airport where there are houses nearby.

[rwynant 0]

Just like the great Santini . . .

There are a number of similar stories where pilots stayed with the aircraft till the last possible moment, and sometimes past that.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that this pilot stayed with the AC as long as he could, short of riding it in.

I've seen videos - not of the F/A-18 though - where the pilots ejected at a few feet above ground, only to have the aircraft pitch back up and fly on for a surprisingly long distance.

Frankly, I'm surprised this kind of thing doesn't happen more often, not just for military AC, but for any airport where there are houses nearby.

There was 1 interview shown on the 5pm news that day....it has not been played again as far as I could see.

An ex-Navy Pilot saw the incident, and he stated very clearly, the pilot ejected from the aircraft literally at the last possible moment....NO engines running, and had he waited another second or 2, his chute would have filled AFTER he hit the ground. There was NO control of the aircraft at the time the pilot ejected.....

I would imagine, the military pulled that ex-pilot aside and told him under no circumstances is he to talk with media again..... Keep in mind this interview was with a younger ex-navy pilot, not the older gent they played over and over...

Take a look from the attempted flight direction and note the options the pilot had when his no.2 engine failed.

IMHO he did ALL that he could....