Overview
- The F/A-18 Hornet slammed into a mountainside near Rimrock Lake on June 13 and ignited a wildfire that forced campers to evacuate and required aerial firefighting response.
- Body‑camera video released in mid‑August shows the ejected pilot approaching deputies coherent but with minor facial lacerations and telling someone on the phone, “Hey, buddy, I just crashed.”
- The jet was valued at about $67 million, a loss that exceeds the military’s $2.5 million threshold for a Class A mishap and adds to a tally of more than 50 severe non‑combat aviation incidents in fiscal 2026.
- The crash is under formal military investigation while the Pentagon’s Aviation Mishap Task Force and the GAO are reviewing systemic causes such as maintenance shortfalls, limited aircraft availability, and training pressures.
- Local responders dealt with an environmental and public‑safety impact from the fire and evacuations, and the public release of the footage is increasing pressure for policy fixes that could affect training, maintenance funding, and safety oversight.