Navy Hornet crashes south of NAS Fallon

An F/A-18C Hornet crashed Tuesday about 10 miles southeast of Naval Air Station Fallon at approximately 10:45 a.m.

The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and has been transported to Banner Churchill Community Hospital. No information has been released on his condition.

The aircraft was on a routine training flight in the local area and was returning to base when the crash occurred. The cause of the accident is under investigation. The Hornet was on temporary assignment to Strike Fighter Wing Pacific Detachment Fallon from Marine Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 232 for a scheduled training assignment.

According to eye witnesses, they said the pilot appeared to be nursing the jet back to NAS Fallon when it crashed. They said a fireball then ensued after impact.

This is the second Navy jet crash occurring out of NAS Fallon this year.

In January a Navy pilot ejected safely before his F/A-18A Hornet assigned to NAWDC crashed in the Fallon Range Training Complex about 25 miles east of Fallon.

The Navy said the crash occurred at about 8:30 a.m. in remote mountainous terrain near the U.S Navy Centroid Facility, which is north of Highway 50 and before the Dixie Valley turnoff. After the crash, the Navy dispatched emergency vehicles to the site.

As with Tuesday’s crash, paramedics from the Federal Fire Department transported the pilot to Banner Churchill by ground ambulance. Because of the Foggy conditions near the crash site, too many challenges grounded a helicopter to transport the aviator to Fallon. A NAS Fallon said the pilot of the January crash was treated for bruises and abrasions at the medical center and released.

The flight was part of the routine training mission conducted by NAWDC at the training range. The FRTC, which consists of four Bravo training areas throughout rural Churchill County, conducts Carrier Air Wing training, advanced instructor training, fleet-replacement squadron training, integrated air-to-air and air-to-ground unit level training, joint exercises and tactics development.