[Cvengr]

I heard he followed it in as far as he could, attempted to save the plane, punched out at the last moment and was recovered in a tree. It didn’t sound like it was easy on the pilot either, though perhaps in God’s Plan the pilot is remaining alive for another purpose, while those who have been taken are now in a far better place and have been promoted.

[Strzelec]

Talked with some first responders who were at the crash site. Pilot was doing traps on the Lincoln when he lost an engine. He diverted to Miramar - performance probably still well within the aircraft’s operational envelope, even with one engine - when he lost the second engine on approach. Mechanical failure, bird strike, who knows? Too low - not enough time - made the only decision he probably could make.

I’ve known a number of Navy pilots - got to fly with a few of them. I would say that, to the man, in a similar situation they would ride the rock down if they thought it would save souls on the ground. This pilot is probably no different - and he’ll be second guessing himself for the rest of his life.

Prayers for all concerned.

[Aliska]

I read that, too, that he waited until the last possible minute, was aiming for a brushy canyon, and ejected at the last minute. There are pictures at the link of the pilot on his cell and in the tree. The first report said he was hanging over a canyon, not in a back yard.

It's hard for me to see good outcomes in tragedies like this; I'm a believer but also a fatalist in that tragic things just seem to happen for no apparent reason, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, no point in second-guessing what could have been.