Navy pilot killed in California desert identified as 33-year-old based in Lemoore
The United States Navy pilot killed this week in a crash in the California desert was identified Friday as Lt. Charles Walker.
The 33-year-old pilot based at Lemoore Naval Air Station was killed July 31 while flying a Super Hornet fighter jet. The jet crashed near the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in Ridgecrest during a routine training mission, according to the U.S. Navy.
Walker was flying with another jet, but the flight was not in formation. Up to seven people on the ground were injured during the crash around 10 a.m.
Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor said the injuries to the park visitors were not life-threatening.
The crash happened on the western edge of the park, in an area known as Father Crowley Overlook above Star Wars Canyon. Military jets regularly fly over the popular scenic canyon, according to Taylor.
Search and rescue teams from China Lake and Lemoore bases were deployed to search for Walker following the crash, which remains under investigation.
The Super Hornet jet was part of a Lemoore squadron nicknamed the Vigilantes.
“Walker was an incredible naval aviator, husband and son. He was an integral member of the Vigilante family and his absence will be keenly felt on his flight line,” said Cpt. James Bates, commander of the Strike Fighter Wing Pacific.
Walker, whose hometown was not immediately disclosed, was commissioned in December 2008 after studying at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, where he was in the ROTC program.
This story was originally published August 2, 2019 at 1:05 PM.
