Navy jet crashes into apartments in Virginia - Friday, Apr 12

[srgalahad]

(CNN) -- A Navy jet crashed Friday into some apartments near Virginia Beach, Virginia, sending flames and thick black smoke into the air, a military spokesman and a witness said.

At least two people were hurt, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The pilot and a person who was on the ground were being treated for injuries, but the nature and extent of those injuries were not immediately clear, the spokeswoman said.

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http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/06/us/virginia-plane-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

As usual, turn the sound down to avoid the babble from the "eyewitless"

[TARPSBird]

The jet was from VFA-106, the Hornet training squadron at Oceana. Eyewitnesses to the jet's problems before the crash said one engine appeared to be on fire - never a good thing, especially when you're at low altitude. Unless some fatalities are found in the wreckage of the destroyed apartment units, so far there have been very few injuries. The two flight crew ejected safely (just barely) and are being treated at Virginia Beach General along with some folks who suffered smoke inhalation. Those of you who want to get further updates should check WAVY TV's website, only station in town with a helo so you can see the scene from the air.
http://www.wavy.com/

[hey_moe]

If ya wanna keep update and see some videos and pics, go here>> http://www.dailypress.com/ they been yaking about it all day on the local News here. They still got Birdneck Rd closed. Both pilots are ok and so far no deaths thank goodness. They are still trying to account for everybody. This was one of the reasons the Air Force wanted to move this base to Surry but VAB fought to save it and won...so far.

[TeaSea]

I happen to be at Norfolk Naval Base today working, and yes, this was a pretty significant event.

It appeared to me that the other aircraft were diverted from Oceana during the initial hours of the incident. In fact, I remarked to someone that it seemed like a lot of F18's were flying into the Naval Base rather than ONAS. We walked into the BX, and there it was all over the news....

11 injured is the account thus far. Word is the pilot landed within a few hundred yards of the crash site. He punched out at the last minute when he could no longer contrl the A/C. He had punched his partner out seconds earlier. Don't know how accurate that is, but that's what's being said.

[Flyboy208]

Such a shame ... you can see from the photo the different stages the VEN's were ... definitely looks like a powerplant issue of some sort ... Mike

[PRB]

Interesting observation on the VENs, and probably significant. For some reason these planes seem to behave badly on one engine. You wouldn't think so, with the two motors being so close together, but there have been a number of mishaps involving single engine Hornets.

[Roadburner440]

We were actually a couple miles up the road from this at the Military Air Museum when this happened today.. Such a sad day for Naval Aviation. Luckily so far there have been no fatalities reported. They are still looking for 6 apartment residents however. So we shall see what happens..

While I do no like to speculate to much one of the witnesses was talking about flames coming from one of the engines, and popping.. So sounds to me like one of the engines suffered some kind of FOD event where it ingested something. Either that or it suffered a catastrophic internal failure where it FODed itself out. I will agree that these planes seem to behave pretty badly on 1 engine. Just remember it wasn't but a few years ago when a similar thing happened out West, and a F-18 that went down to single engine ops went into a house. I just hope there were no fatailities.

[Flyboy208]

Possibly one of the powerplants suffered from a bird strike / ingestion - who knows? Just glad the aircrew ejected safely and civilian damage was minimal ... sure we will all know tomorrow and in the coming days ... Mike

[stiz]

3 people still unaccounted for,

"We have physically been in every structure, and we have 95% completed the search and rescue. "We don't know if we have working cell numbers [for the people unaccounted for], if they've travelled. "We don't know if people are staying with other people."

[stansdds]

Terrible tragedy. Over the years there has been talk about all the commercial and residential properties located so close to ONAS and "what if". Now the "what if" has occurred. My thoughts and prayers to the pilot, NFO, and the residents of that apartment complex.

[TARPSBird]

All the residents of the apartment complex have been accounted for at the present time, so barring the possibility of squatters in an unoccupied unit or non-residents in the courtyard I'd say we have witnessed an Easter miracle with no loss of life. I've lived on or near naval air stations for most of my life, and although there is always danger of a crash I've never worried much about it because I know the expertise and professionalism of the folks who fly the planes. NAS Oceana was an established jet base long before most of Virginia Beach's current residents ever bought homes or rented apartments. I consider it an "implied consent" scenario: If you've decided to live near Oceana, you've consented to live with the jets.

[hey_moe]

Hey TB, they are sure getting plenty of coverage huh. The government has already taken action to help the people out and are also making sure all tentants have good care and housing....what else can ya say. It is just a miracle nobody was killed.

[TARPSBird]

For the next few weeks we'll be hearing plenty from the people who complain about the noise, the people who want the base closed or moved, and of course those really delusional people who think that Virginia Beach can survive just fine without the income that Oceana generates. I guess maybe they're all one group, LOL.

[Navy Chief]

I remember when a USAF A-7D crashed into the Ramada Inn, near the Indianapolis airport in October of 1987. 10 people died. The pilot ejected just before the crash. NC

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=7234226

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