US Navy jet crashes in Death Valley National Park, injuring 7
The only national park where the military can fly jets
(CNN)A US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed Wednesday in Death Valley National Park, at a spot known to aviation enthusiasts as Star Wars Canyon, according to park spokesman Patrick Taylor, who toldCNN that seven visitors suffered minor injuries as a result.
As a general rule, military jets are not allowed to fly over national parks, but an exception was made over this section of Death Valley when it became a national park 25 years ago. In fact, Taylor said, that particular vista is a popular place to watch military training flights.
The crash occurred east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California, according to the Navy.
"Search and rescue personnel are on scene and the status of the pilot is currently unknown," Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock, a spokesperson for the Joint Strike Fighter Wing, said in a statement.
"The cause of the crash is currently under investigation," Bock added.
The F/A-18 had been assigned to the "Vigilantes" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.
US Naval Air Forces had issued a tweet earlier Wednesday confirming a crash had taken place.
"At approximately 10:00 a.m PST an F/A-18E crashed near @NAWS_CL. Search-and-rescue efforts are underway," Naval Air Forces tweeted from its verified Twitter account.
A spokesperson for the Inyo County Sheriff's Office, Carma Roper, told CNN that they were helping to secure the area until the military arrived on scene.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California and is approximately 125 miles north of Los Angeles.
The F/A-18 strike fighter forms the backbone of the Navy's jet fleet and the Super Hornet variant became operational in 2001.
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed in Death Valley National Park on Wednesday, injuring seven people who were at a scenic overlook in the area dubbed Star Wars Canyon.
Officials are investigating the cause of the crash and searching for the pilot.
The crash took place at about 10 a.m. PST, east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California, according to a statement posted to the U.S. Naval Institute's website. The area is popular with aviation photographers and fighter jet aficionados, who come to watch the jets soar through the chasm.
"I just saw a black mushroom cloud go up," said Aaron Cassell, who was working at his family's Panamint Springs Resort about 10 miles away and was the first to report the crash to park dispatch. "Typically, you don't see a mushroom cloud in the desert."
Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor say the seven were park visitors and have only minor injuries.
The single-seat jet was assigned to the 'Vigilantes' of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, the statement said. The squadron is part of an air group attached to the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
"Search and rescue personnel are on scene and the status of the pilot is currently unknown. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation," spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock said the statement.
U.S. Naval Air Forces tweeted the crash happened during a "routine training flight."
The aircraft from VFA-151 was on a routine training flight when the mishap occurred. Search and rescue units from @NAWS_CL and NAS Lemoore are on scene. The cause of the mishap is under investigation.
"NAWS China Lake is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately 150 miles north of Los Angeles. The installation is the Navy's largest single landholding, representing 85 percent of the Navy's land for" research, development, acquisition, testing and evaluation, according to the installation's website.
Ambulances were sent to the crash site near Father Crowley Overlook, said park spokesman Patrick Taylor. According to initial reports, seven park visitors had minor injuries.
KABC-TV spoke to tourists who said they were treated for minor burns and cuts from flying fragments after the plane crashed and exploded.
The injured tourists told the news station they were taking photos of the sweeping landscape when the jet screamed into view and suddenly slammed into the canyon wall.
US Navy jet crash at Death Valley National
Park in California injures 7; status of pilot unknown
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed in Death Valley National Park on Wednesday, injuring seven people who were at a scenic overlook in the area dubbed Star Wars Canyon.
Officials are investigating the cause of the crash and searching for the pilot.
The crash took place at about 10 a.m. PST, east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in California, according to a statement posted to the U.S. Naval Institute's website. The area is popular with aviation photographers and fighter jet aficionados, who come to watch the jets soar through the chasm.
"I just saw a black mushroom cloud go up," said Aaron Cassell, who was working at his family's Panamint Springs Resort about 10 miles away and was the first to report the crash to park dispatch. "Typically, you don't see a mushroom cloud in the desert."
Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor say the seven were park visitors and have only minor injuries.
The single-seat jet was assigned to the 'Vigilantes' of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, the statement said. The squadron is part of an air group attached to the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.
"Search and rescue personnel are on scene and the status of the pilot is currently unknown. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation," spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock said the statement.
U.S. Naval Air Forces tweeted the crash happened during a "routine training flight."
The aircraft from VFA-151 was on a routine training flight when the mishap occurred. Search and rescue units from @NAWS_CL and NAS Lemoore are on scene. The cause of the mishap is under investigation.
"NAWS China Lake is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, approximately 150 miles north of Los Angeles. The installation is the Navy's largest single landholding, representing 85 percent of the Navy's land for" research, development, acquisition, testing and evaluation, according to the installation's website.
Ambulances were sent to the crash site near Father Crowley Overlook, said park spokesman Patrick Taylor. According to initial reports, seven park visitors had minor injuries.
KABC-TV spoke to tourists who said they were treated for minor burns and cuts from flying fragments after the plane crashed and exploded.
The injured tourists told the news station they were taking photos of the sweeping landscape when the jet screamed into view and suddenly slammed into the canyon wall.
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