Navy pilot out of Lemoore killed in jet crash in southeastern California desert
A pilot from Naval Air Station Lemoore crashed in southeastern California on Friday.
The Navy said an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the base located about 35 miles southwest of Fresno crashed at 2:30 p.m. near Trona.
The pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.
The pilot has not been identified, pending notification of next of kin.
Trona, an unincorporated Mojave Desert community in San Bernardino County, is about 25 miles northeast of Ridgecrest.
Units from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake Federal Firefighters and Naval Security Forces are on site.
No civilians were harmed in the incident, the Navy said.
Associated Press: NAS Lemoore background
Lemoore is home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing and hosts 16 operational Strike Fighter squadrons, according to its website.
In 2019, a Navy Super Hornet crashed in Death Valley National Park during a routine training mission, killing the pilot and slightly injuring seven park visitors who were struck by debris. They had gathered at a scenic overlook where aviation enthusiasts watch military pilots speeding low through a chasm dubbed Star Wars Canyon, officials said.
Last October, a Navy Super Hornet from Naval Air Station China Lake also crashed, and in 2020 another from Lemoore went down, both during training missions. The pilots safely ejected, one in a remote southern area of Death Valley National Park near the Nevada border and the other in the Mojave Desert.
Associated Press reporting contributed to this story.
This story was originally published June 3, 2022 at 8:16 PM.
