| GeoffQRF | 05 Jun 2014 2:08 a.m. PST |
link A US military jet has crashed into homes in the California desert, about 90 miles (144km) east of San Diego. The pilot of the AV-8B Harrier jet ejected safely, and has been taken to hospital with minor injuries. [witness] said he was driving nearby when he saw the plane flying 'really low'. "It just fell down," he said. It was the second crash in a month of a Harrier jet from the Yuma air base in Arizona, AP news agency reported. On 9 May, a pilot ejected safely before his plane crashed in a remote desert area near the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, south of Phoenix. No-one was hurt. Two in a month isn't good. |
| Dennis0302 | 05 Jun 2014 2:20 a.m. PST |
Have to wonder if the issue is aircraft age or maintenance or a combination of the two. Thank God no one on the ground was killed or injured. |
| GeoffQRF | 05 Jun 2014 2:27 a.m. PST |
That was my first thought/worry. Maintenance is normally pretty good, but airframes are starting to age now… |
| Coyotepunc and Hatshepsuut | 05 Jun 2014 4:45 a.m. PST |
Coincindence, or conspisracy? There is a need to prove the F-35 should be replacing Harriers… |
| darthfozzywig | 05 Jun 2014 8:00 a.m. PST |
Coincindence, or conspisracy? A very well-coordinated conspiracy, planned and executed over the last four decades: link |
| Neroon | 05 Jun 2014 8:22 a.m. PST |
Probably sucked a bird into the engine. Lots of ducks and geese around there. Always a hazard with low level ops. |
| GeoffQRF | 05 Jun 2014 9:13 a.m. PST |
Little excessive way of cooking duck for mess dinner though… |
| Lion in the Stars | 05 Jun 2014 9:43 a.m. PST |
I'm actually surprised the pilot didn't ride that one in, trying to keep it from hitting houses. |
| Zargon | 05 Jun 2014 10:23 a.m. PST |
To,punkrabbitt returns
I say Yup, $$$ |
| Cadian 7th | 05 Jun 2014 11:46 a.m. PST |
@Lion in the Stars
I think we have met the tipping point where Marine Aviators have not seen " The Great Santinni". |
| GeoffQRF | 05 Jun 2014 2:30 p.m. PST |
I'm actually surprised the pilot didn't ride that one in, trying to keep it from hitting houses. From those eyewitness reports (low, just fell down) he may have decided he had nothing left to work with. |
| Lion in the Stars | 05 Jun 2014 3:55 p.m. PST |
Yeah, if you have no airspeed left to get to a uninhabited crash point, it's time to grab the ejection handles and kiss your flying career goodbye. |
Chortle  | 05 Jun 2014 8:09 p.m. PST |
I am glad no one got hurt. What a pity to lose such a nice looking (IMO) aircraft. Too bad for the home owners as well. |
| jdginaz | 06 Jun 2014 4:54 a.m. PST |
"Probably sucked a bird into the engine. Lots of ducks and geese around there. Always a hazard with low level ops." It was just across the state line from Yuma Arizona. No geese few ducks, pure desert. Personally I think it may have more to do a pilot inexperienced with flying in 110 degree temperatures. |
| Lion in the Stars | 06 Jun 2014 11:33 a.m. PST |
Personally I think it may have more to do a pilot inexperienced with flying in 110 degree temperatures. Entirely possible. The running joke about how to get a Harrier as a civilian was to buy some land around Cherry Point NC and wait, one would crash there eventually. |
