Jet Crash in Virginia Beach

[ccheese]

At about 1210 a NAS Oceana based F/A-18 crashed in north-east Virginia Beach. The plane, belonging to VF-106, came to rest in the courtyard of the Mayfair Mews Apartments in the 600-900 block of Birdneck Road. The Va. Beach Fire Department said it was fighting a three alarm fire at the apartments. The pilot and RIO were said to be slightly injured, but otherwise alive. No reports of any deaths or injuries on the ground.

More as news becomes available.

Charles

 

[oldcrowcv63]

A few minutes ago:

F-18 Crashes into Apartment Building and Explodes (Updating Live)

 

[ccheese]

At 1450 WVEC-TV is reporting no injuries on the ground, at Mayfair Mews Apartments after the F/A-18 crashed. The jet crashed on take-off and both crew ejected, and are in Va. Beach General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Va. Beach Fire Dept. reports three buildings completely destroyed and two others with significant damage. Interstate 264 which runs east west a short distance from the area of the crash is closed in both directions.

More here: PilotOnline.com: News for Hampton Roads, Va., from The Virginian-Pilot

Charles

 

[oldcrowcv63]

Thanks Charles

 

[Gnomey]

Saw it on the news this afternoon. Glad to hear everyone is OK.

 

[Airframes]

Good to know there are no casualties - could have been very bad.

 

[B-17engineer]

They keep wording the news funny. Instead of saying one pilot was not released from hospital (cause its a 2 seat plane) they are saying one of the aircrew members has not been released. It makes it sound like more people.


Glad to hear everyones Ok!

 

[meatloaf109]

Just saw the latest,...Amazingly, no casulties, airmen or others!
The F-18 is a little worse for wear...

 

[Wayne Little]

glad no one was seriously hurt...

 

[Torch]

Saw the news this morning and a resident of the apartments damaged was saying the pilot or maybe the RIO was sitting there bleeding from his nose and telling the man he was apologizing for what happended.

 

[ccheese]

They keep wording the news funny. Instead of saying one pilot was not released from hospital (cause its a 2 seat plane) they are saying one of the aircrew members has not been released. It makes it sound like more people.

Glad to hear everyone's Ok!

According to the news, a student pilot was flying the aircraft, with an experienced pilot in the rear seat. All the Navy is saying is there was a "catastrophic equipment malfunction" during take-off. Both pilots ejected at the last minute. Where the plane went down in the apartment complex was mostly a senior citizens' housing area. The Navy has chartered a Virginia Beach hotel to house those displaced.

What bothers me is this is more fodder for the BRAC Commission.....

Charles

 

[Lucky13]

Glad that nobody was seriously injured!

BRAC Commission.....??

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Charles, how far do you live from the crash site?

 

[RabidAlien]

From what I've read, there were several other -18's that took off, then witnesses noticed this guy flying low, slow, and with his ass end on fire. One said it "backfired" a couple of times, then dropped into the apartment complex. Sounds to me that, experienced instructor in the plane or not, there wasn't a whole heck of a lotta time for the pilots to pick a nice, clear field or stretch of ocean to ditch in. The fact that there were no fatalities is pure miracle. I doubt there was much time between the "oh crap" and "ejectejecteject" portions of their conversations.

 

[ccheese]

Charles, how far do you live from the crash site?

Chris:

About six straight line miles. The crash occurred about two miles north-east of NAS Oceana, just off Birdneck Road.

BRAC Commission.....??

Jan:

Base Realignment and Closure Commission. They have been trying to close NAS Oceana for years.

Charles

 

[pbfoot]

BRAC is also looking at Niagara Falls Air Reserve base for the 100th time

 

[ccheese]

Quite a bit more is known about the F/A-18D crash in Va. Beach. The plane was taking off in a north-east direction. It crashed less that two minutes after the plane started rolling, so there really was not a lot of air time. It crashed in the parking lot at the end of Fleming drive, then went thru bldg. 1003 of the Mayfair Mews Apartment complex. There are six apartments in bldg. 1003..... two were vacant, two were occupied, and the other two was nobody home. The engines and tail wound up in the courtyard. Bldgs 1001, 1003, 1005 1009, 1011, 1019, 1021 and 1023 in Fleming Circle, were totally destroyed. Bldgs 1003, 1005 on Fleming Drive and Bldgs. 1031, 1033, 1035, 1037, 1039 1041, and 1043 on Fleming Circle was moderately damaged.

The canopy was found behind bldg 1003 (Fleming Drive), one pilot landed on the roof of a condo on Nighthawk Place, the other pilot landed in the walkway between Bldgs 1031 and 1027 in Fleming Circle.

Attached is the diagram of the crash site from this morning's Virginian Pilot.

Charles

 

[Wayne Little]

Still hard to believe nobody was killed...