[cva66snipe]

All things considered, this appears to be a very good outcome. There are still no reported deaths and only 5 civilians taken to the hospital. That might just be for smoke inhalation. You may remember that I lived for many years in that area, right there around Birdneck and Laskin Roads. Locals there are well aware of the potential for disaster from the military air traffic. It used to irritate me to no end when I’d hear some damn tourist complain about the jet noise. I would always make it a point to tell them “that’s the price we pay for freedom”. It would always shut them up and made me feel alot better! LOL!

It's an amazing miracle and a testimony to the skills of the pilots and ground crews there hasn't been some major crashes over the years. People forget this area was not densely populated when the bases were being built. Tidewater being a Defense/Military base area built up in large to related jobs. I've seen some old photos my uncle took when he lived near Trashmore.

If no one was killed I'd call it a Good Friday Miracle. Watch for the media to start hammering pilots and military over the crash. I do think some assets need to be relocated away from Tidewater but not for the specific reason we saw today.

[smoothsailing]

. People forget this area was not densely populated when the bases were being built

How right you are. I lived there from 1958 until 1998. The growth that took place during that time was rapid and sustained. As a kid growing up there in the late 50's and early 60's it seemed I knew just about eveybody. It was a small beach community on the coast and farmland inland. Oceana was surrounded by open land and farms and timber for miles around back then. But not anymore.