Pilot Precision Crashes Military Jet In Arizona Desert [Video]
A military pilot crashed in the south of Phoenix Arizona, yesterday. The defense department has confirmed that the pilot managed to eject just in time, but the jet was completely destroyed.
The FAA confirmed a military aircraft has crashed in Arizona. The Marine aircraft reportedly went down near Sacaton in the Gila River Indian Community. The U.S. Marine Corps said the AV-8B Harrier crashed on the Gila River Indian Community near the city of Maricopa about 2 pm.
The FAA spokesperson stated that the pilot was able to eject safely before allowing the jet to crash in the desert. Apart from a minor cut across his nose, the pilot is safe and was whisked away to Chandler Regional Medical Center. Local authorities said that the pilot was spotted nearby Gila River walking alone in the desert, reported 7news Denver.
Gila river police have set up a 1 mile perimeter and have secured the area to ensure the debris and pieces of the jet are left untouched, informed police spokesman Det. Robert Hawkes, “We’ve secured a mile to a mile and a half radius of the crash scene to ensure that no public, no community members are near the scene for safety purposes” reported abc news.
So far the reason of the crash is unknown, though authorities have assured a full investigation into the causes of the crash. But Spokesman Mikhail Sundust did indicate that the aircraft might have experienced engine trouble, forcing the pilot to eject. Thankfully, he displayed excellent presence of mind and maneuvered the jet away from any civilian area. So far there is no suspicion of pilot error.
The AV-8B Harrier Jet was based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, but base officials referred all calls to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California. Parts of the plane were still smoldering a full hour after the crash.
The Harrier jet is one of the finest subsonic attack and reconnaissance plane. This multi–purpose plane can be asked to fly reconnaissance missions and can be easily outfitted to make it combat ready in one of the shortest spans of time. Thankfully, though the military representatives haven’t been much forthcoming about the details of the crash, it appears the jet was on a routine soiree when the incident happened, and the jet didn’t appear to be “hot,”or armed.
Harrier Jets are famous for their ability to take-off and land vertically owing to the dynamic thrusters, which have earned the nickname “jumper jet.” However, the safety records of the jet are somewhat dodgy and leave a lot to be desired.
[Image Credit | azfamily]
