Yesterday, just minutes after an F/A-18D jet took off from the Naval Air Station Oceana in Virgina Beach, Va., the two pilots on board realized their aircraft engine had failed catastrophically. Immediately, they turned back toward the airfield, dumping jet fuel in order to reduce the aircraft's weight, a technique that could have helped them reach the runway just two miles away.
But it wasn't enough. They had no choice but to eject from the jet, which was traveling at 170 miles per hour. Moments later, the jet crashed into an apartment complex (photo below). Although the pilots and several residents were injured, reports so far indicate that no one was killed.
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1 comment:
I was attahed to VA-35 at Oceana in late 70s'. As aircraft became larger and faster,NAVY wanted to extend hazard areas beyond the end of runways and not allow building in these areas.
OH NO!! says Va Beach council and mayor. It was so stupid that crews started calling these developements "Glide Slope Village".
Can you imagine living there with planes taking off in full afterburner?? Practice landings at night??
With more jets at SBY, I expect locals to start complaining about the noise.
It's back to the old "Chicken or the egg" thing.
Oceana has been there and welcomed by locals for decades.
Sorry for what happened recently but I would bet this accident happened in one of those hazard areas ( I have not seen map)the NAVY did not want developement.
USN-RET
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