F-18 Crash over the Columbia...

[MadJeff 3]

About 60 minutes ago, 2 F-18's based out of Miramar collided over the Columbia River by Arlington (About 2 hours east of Portland) and went in. 2 people are dead, but one person ejected and was picked up by a boat. Apparently there were two explosions and debris rained down all over the river.

 

This area has a lot of windsurfing activity and there were quite a few people around when it happened. I'll post more as I hear it, it's on the local news now...

[firehawkordy 34]

Thoughts with the the aircrews families. Nothing will freeze my blood faster than seeing or hearing about a Class A mishap. I've seen two up close and that was two to many.

:(

[Creepy847 0]

Thats very sad to hear. In Mirmar 1987 my uncle was killed in the same type of accident. Durning a low level flight he instructed the #2 guy to take lead. During this manuver the #2 collided with my uncle. The bottom part of the #2 crushed Eric's cockpit an killed him instantly.

The #2 was able to eject but was a basket case for sometime. He apoligized to my aunt an grandmother an swore it wasnt his fault. The investigaion turned up this. At such an such hours the sun created a bright glare on Eric's canopy. Eric never knew the #2 was there till it was too late.

Eric was selected as the top East Coast Fleet pilot an had won many awards. He was also one of the first instuctor pilots to train in Japan. Afew months before his death he was selected for the Astronaut program. Eric was not the typical looking fighter pilot by any means. Tall an lanky soft spoken an always a pleasure to be around.

He taught my aunt how to fly an to scuba an parachute. He was one of the nicest people you could ever want to meet. He never flaunted or made you feel second best.

About 6 months before his death I was passing thru Cali on the way to the east coast. I was in the Marines at the time so I decided to give him a call. I was hoping that he would say something like " Hey come on up an Ill see about getting you a ride". He had pull but that didnt happen. While I was talking to him we were talking about his favorite aircraft. He had flown just about everything and then I asked him what is the all time favorite jet youve flown.

With a thought he said Keith it would have to be the little A-4 skyhawk. I asked why an he said cause its small an nibble an easy to fly. So much for a man that could fly anything.

Well Eric is burried at Arlington Cemetary. I have yet to visit his grave. When he was killed I was stationed at Diego Garica with the Marine Security Team there. I was leaving in less than a week. The C.O. called me down to his office an gave me the bad news. He said I could fly out the next morning if I could pack up my gear an make the flight in time. I was hoping to carry him at the funeral.

I ended up catching the flight to Clark but ended up stuck on Guam for almost a week with no flights availble to me. Since he was only my uncle I couldnt get slotted on Emercency leave so I wasnt able to secure seats. I missed his funeral by over a week by the time I returned to the east coast.

With that said I will close. For all the s**t those guys have to go thru an the image people have of them they will never know just how quickly theyre lives end. My aunt Gayle still cant talk about him even tho shes remarried. Sometimes in game Ill be flying an wonder goddam how Eric would have loved sitting here with me showing me how to get back on the ship even tho its just a dumb computer game. Thats how he was a pleasure to be around.

 

Semper Fi

Creepy847