# F/A-18 crash in San Diego **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 8, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301 "2008-12-08T20:40:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/21 "2008-12-09T14:11:11Z")
Yeah I heard that plane over my house and thought at the time wow that is really loud and sounds pretty unusual for it to be flying overheard down here. Terrible loss and scary because it could have happened anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/22 "2008-12-09T18:35:14Z")
Friends of ours were close enough to see the pilot eject and later drove to the scene. There’s still all kinds of discussion about why the pilot was alone and why he wasn’t directed to land somewhere else. I guess all the other options would have been more even more difficult and dangerous. I feel terribly sorry for him. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/23 "2008-12-09T18:56:44Z")
> [@cher3](#): > > Friends of ours were close enough to see the pilot eject and later drove to the scene. There’s still all kinds of discussion about why the pilot was alone and why he wasn’t directed to land somewhere else. I guess all the other options would have been more even more difficult and dangerous. I feel terribly sorry for him. Regarding where he was attempting to land. I don’t know this for a fact, but would assume Miramar was the closest facility designated for such emergency situations. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/24 "2008-12-09T19:02:20Z")
I thought that was where he was aiming for in the first place. Or was he supposed to return to the ship? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/25 "2008-12-09T19:15:03Z")
A coworker read in the paper this morning that the emergency happened after he left the ship, and that he was directed to land at MCAS Miramar. This makes sense because a carrier has a pretty short runway, and if the aircraft is still flyable it’s better to get it to a land base if one is close. There are two large airports in San Diego. Lindbergh is the commercial airport, and MCAS Miramar is the military one. (There are GA airports around as well, but not really suited to crippled fighter/bombers.) ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/26 "2008-12-09T19:42:17Z")
I read a story that the aircraft had experienced engine failure in one engine and was returning to base when the second engine failed. I think that was from a congresscritter’s office, on the condition of anonymity since they were not supposed to talk. Take that with however large a grain of salt you wish. Also three dead, including an infant, and one child still missing. The squadron the plane and pilot were in was a training squadron, where pilots go before they are assigned to an operational squadron, so this guy could have been a relatively inexperienced pilot. I am not a fighter pilot, but I would guess once you lose both engines, things like electrical power and hydraulic pumps don’t work for very much longer and the plane begins to act like a fast moving brick. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/27 "2008-12-09T19:55:24Z")
> [@Landshark](#): > > Regarding where he was attempting to land. I don’t know this for a fact, but would assume Miramar was the closest facility designated for such emergency situations. Yep, that’s where he was headed but couldn’t quite make it- I think he fell (so to speak) about 2 miles short. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/28 "2008-12-09T20:17:50Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > A coworker read in the paper this morning that the emergency happened after he left the ship, and that he was directed to land at MCAS Miramar. This makes sense because a carrier has a pretty short runway, and if the aircraft is still flyable it’s better to get it to a land base if one is close. > > There are two large airports in San Diego. Lindbergh is the commercial airport, and MCAS Miramar is the military one. (There are GA airports around as well, but not really suited to crippled fighter/bombers.) There is also NAS North Island. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/29 "2008-12-09T20:21:08Z")
I heard the same thing about flying on one engine, and I also heard that it was a trainee pilot. I have no idea if those are actually correct statements, but it’s definitely what was coming out yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/30 "2008-12-09T20:29:11Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > There is also NAS North Island. :smack: I completely forgot about that. And an uncle was stationed there! ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/31 "2008-12-09T20:49:36Z")
I feel bad for the pilot. I have read that the choice to eject is up to the pilot. Seeing how he ejected at what sounds like a couple hundred feet which I would think would be dangerous. It sounds like he almost rode his jet into the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/32 "2008-12-09T21:00:28Z")
This is ridiculous: > [@news story](#): > > The father is a businessman who was at work at the time of the crash, and was not reached for comment, Reached for comment? What the fuck? Leave him the fuck alone! What kind of asshole is going to call up this guy for a “comment”? How would that even go? Soooo… your wife is dead, your children are dead, your mother is dead and the home and memories you had of them all burnt to a crisp… got any comments? ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/33 "2008-12-09T21:00:58Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > I feel bad for the pilot. I have read that the choice to eject is up to the pilot. Seeing how he ejected at what sounds like a couple hundred feet which I would think would be dangerous. It sounds like he almost rode his jet into the ground. This morning’s San Diego Union/Tribune states that the pilot waited as long as possible (looking for a relatively safe place for the jet to crash) before ejecting. > **[San Diego Union-Tribune](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/)** > > San Diego, California and National News > [@SDU/T](#): > > “He was making motions with his hand, like he was trying to throttle up, and he said there was no power,” said Matthew Gorsuch, a former helicopter door gunner in the Navy who lives near the crash site. “He said he was trying to find a clearing, but he ran out of time.” > > Through it all, Gorsuch said, the pilot had just one concern. “The only thing he cared about was where his plane had landed. That was the only thing he asked about. That was all he had on his mind.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/34 "2008-12-09T21:07:45Z")
I just spoke with my sister–her granddaughter’s family live 16 houses away from the crash site! They are staying with her mother (my sister’s daughter) right now. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/35 "2008-12-09T21:21:59Z")
Here is a link to a pretty comprehensive article on the crash: [http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/la-me-jetcrash10-2008dec10,0,7467805.story](http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/la-me-jetcrash10-2008dec10,0,7467805.story) He was on a training op from the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast when he lost his first engine. He was directed to attempt an emergency landing at Miramar. Didn’t make it of course. Shame they didn’t direct him to ditch in the ocean. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/36 "2008-12-09T21:27:00Z")
> [@Encinitas](#): > > Here is a link to a pretty comprehensive article on the crash: > [http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/la-me-jetcrash10-2008dec10,0,7467805.story](http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/la-me-jetcrash10-2008dec10,0,7467805.story) > He was on a training op from the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast when he lost his first engine. He was directed to attempt an emergency landing at Miramar. Didn’t make it of course. Shame they didn’t direct him to ditch in the ocean. I dunno. How common is it for both engines to fail (without both failing at the same moment)? He flew for some distance before the second engine quit. (He almost made it. just 2 more miles to go…) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/37 "2008-12-10T16:08:25Z")
Todays update: > **[The San Diego Union-Tribune - San Diego, California & National News](https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/)** > > News about San Diego, California ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/38 "2008-12-10T16:49:12Z")
Good Lord that story is heartbreaking. Look at the final comment: “I don’t know what to tell him,” Yoon said. “I don’t know how he’ll ever forgive me.” I cannot even begin to imagine what this man is going through. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/39 "2008-12-10T17:19:53Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > Good Lord that story is heartbreaking. Look at the final comment: > > “I don’t know what to tell him,” Yoon said. “I don’t know how he’ll ever forgive me.” > > I cannot even begin to imagine what this man is going through. That part made me cry. He’s worried his father-in-law will blame him. Yet he does not blame the pilot. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301/40 "2009-03-04T15:19:55Z")
Update: > [@](#): > > Marine officials informed members of Congress Tuesday that four Marine Corps officers at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego have been relieved of duty for directing the F/A-18D Hornet to fly over the residential area. > **[Newsradio 600 KOGO - San Diego's Breaking News Station](https://kogo.iheart.com/)** > > San Diego's Breaking News Station, NewsRadio AM 600 KOGO featuring San Diego's Morning News with Bret and Veronica, Clay & Buck, Sean Hannity, Mike Slater, Lou Penrose, Conway & Larson and Coast to Coast with George Noory. and > [@](#): > > A military jet’s deadly December crash in University City could have been averted if the pilot and ground crew had followed emergency rules for landing at North Island Naval Air Station, and if the plane had been removed from service when mechanics found a fuel problem, Marine officials said in strikingly candid remarks yesterday. [http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/04/1n4crash00531-shoddy-maintenance-human-error-led-c/?zIndex=61668](http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/mar/04/1n4crash00531-shoddy-maintenance-human-error-led-c/?zIndex=61668) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-a-18-crash-in-san-diego/476301.md?page=3)