Navy jet fighter crashes in Death Valley; pilot injured

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — A Navy pitchy combatant crashed successful Death Valley National Park and the aviator ejected and was treated for insignificant injuries, authorities said Tuesday.

The F/A-18F Super Hornet went down astatine astir 3 p.m. Monday. It was assigned to adjacent Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 9, based astatine Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, a Navy connection said.

The clang was successful a distant confederate country of the parkland successful California’s Mojave Desert adjacent the Nevada borderline and cipher connected the crushed was hurt.

The aviator was treated astatine a infirmary successful Las Vegas and released, the Navy said.

The clang was nether investigation.

On July 31, 2019, different Navy Super Hornet crashed successful Death Valley National Park during a regular grooming mission, sidesplitting the aviator and somewhat injuring 7 parkland visitors who were struck by debris.

They had gathered astatine a scenic place astir 160 miles wherever aviation enthusiasts ticker subject pilots speeding debased done a chasm dubbed Star Wars Canyon, officials said.

Last October, an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore successful California’s Central Valley went down during a grooming ngo successful the Mojave Desert but the aviator safely ejected.