Navy: Two Jets Collide During Training Mission (Lemoore NAS, Training at China Lake)

KNBC/AP/LNAS ^ | 07/18/2005 | KNBC

[Drago]

CHINA LAKE, Calif. -- The U.S. Navy has confirmed that two of its Super Hornet jets collided in mid-air Monday during a training mission near the China Lake Naval Weapons Center...

[Drago]

Out of Lemoore N.A.S.

[kingu]

Ugh. We loose too many to accidents, but it is the nature of the beast.

[Integrityrocks]

Seems we lose way too many this way. What's up with their flying? They can't see out the window?

[rlmorel]

I used to be a jet mechanic in the USN back in the Seventies (Corsairs), and one thing I came out of the service with is...there are a lot of military airplanes and helicopters that crash each year.

Most people don't really pick up on it, because unless you are in the community, or it shows up in your local paper, or is a real mess, people just don't put it all together.

[rlmorel]

Part of the issue is...you need to train how you will fight, and the nature of military aircraft is that they are much closer to the edge of being designed to perform a dangerous mission rather than ensuring the passengers land safely as is done in a jetliner.

[oldenuff2no]

There is an old saying around flight lines, and in the barracks of fighting troops.

IT HAPPENS!!!!

We don't want it to happen, we do everything we can to keep everyone alive and safe, but it happens. In that line of work, things like this will always eventually happen.

[Drago]

More information (expanded AP story) at:
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050718/APN/507181032&cachetime=3&template=dateline

[Right Winged American]

Two things to remember:

1)Your aircraft and it's weapons, down to the last bolt or rivet, is made by the lowest bidder.

2) Train how you fight; fight how you train

It's good to see we still train all-up Air Combat Training. In the end, far more pilots will survive, and we will continue to be untouchable in the sky.

[rlmorel]

Very true, couldn't have said it better myself. Military flight ops are just plain dangerous.

[tallhappy]

Where'd they land?

[Strategerist]

Seems we lose way too many this way. What's up with their flying? They can't see out the window?

It's because we train a LOT, and train under realistic collisions.

If you ever see a year without military training accidents...be afraid, be VERY afraid; it means we've cut back on realistic training severely, and the lives "saved" in the training accidents will be lost threefold or more when we go into real combat.

[Drago]

All I have on the location:
"Base spokesman Dennis McGrath confirmed the crash, which happened about 40 miles northeast of Ridgecrest."

[UB355]

After seeing the Blue Angels in Milwaukee yesterday I am curious as to how this happens.

[Strategerist]

Possibly a dogfight exercise; the Blue Angels are doing a choreographed dance; dogfighting is free form. You don't know where your opponent will be.

[tallhappy]

Probably no communities in the area. There are some though.

I've seen these jets do their maneuvres over Bishop which has been quite something to see at times.

[sofaman]

Article didn't say whether we lost the pilots...hope that's a good sign and they made it out safely.

[Drago]

Yeah...I was driving to Death Valley once, and an F-18 was flying in a canyon to the left of me...below my elevation!!

[BlueNgold]

My best friend from Annapolis a Hornet jock out of LeMoore.
If anyone has names please Freepmail me ASAP.

Freegards
BnG

[Drago]

No names yet...but apparently they were from VFA-122, and there are now reports of 2 people taken to the hospital after SAR, 1 with internal injuries, and 1 with a broken leg. Both in "Serious" condition, with stable vitals.

[coop223]

two aircraft, one two seater, both rescued, the other a single seater, pilot still missing. North ranges are ablaze as the area is isolated with lots of vegetation. Sad sight to see as i work at china lake. Pray for their families.