A military pilot somehow walked away alive after ejecting from an F/A-18 Hornet moments before the fighter jet slammed into a Washington mountainside and erupted in flames.
Newly released body-camera footage shows the dramatic aftermath of the June 13 crash near Rimrock Lake, where deputies encountered the pilot with blood on his face and his phone already displaying a 911 call.
The aircraft had crashed into mountainous terrain, sending thick black smoke into the sky and sparking a wildfire.
Despite the terrifying scene, the pilot — assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, based in Miramar, California — was conscious, walking and able to explain what had happened.
One responder asked him what kind of aircraft had gone down.
“That’s an F-18,” the pilot replied before adding dryly, “Well, that was an F-18.”
He told authorities the jet had been taking part in low-level training around the lake before something suddenly went wrong.
“We were doing circles over the lake, doing some low-level training,” he said. “And then I tucked in, and I’m not sure exactly.”
A witness at the scene then appeared to point out just how close the pilot had come to disaster.
“You hit the tree bad, bud,” the person said.
Perhaps the most stunning moment came shortly afterward, when the pilot calmly called someone to report what had happened.
“Hey, buddy, I just crashed,” he said.
The almost casual remark stood in stark contrast to the devastation surrounding him.
Video from the scene also showed what appeared to be the pilot’s parachute hanging from a tree after his emergency ejection.
The Yakima County Sheriff’s Office said the pilot suffered only minor cuts to his face.
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing previously described the incident as a “non-fatal aviation mishap” that occurred while the pilot was conducting routine training.
The crash happened near Rimrock Lake in Washington state and triggered a wildfire after the fighter jet struck the mountainside.
Exactly what caused the F/A-18 to go down remains under investigation.
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Next Gen News Team
Sounds like he hit a tall tree…