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Navy jet crashes into apartments in Virginia
cnn.com ^ | April 6, 2012 | Mike Ahlers and Barbara Starr

Posted on 04/06/2012 10:28:44 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY

(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.

Two apartment buildings were on fire, CNN affiliate WTKR reporting, citing witnesses.

The jet was from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The crew of the two-seater F/A-18 safely ejected, but their condition wasn't known, a Navy spokesman said.

The plane is from a training squadron, the Navy said.

George Pilkington, an eye witness to the crash, said he was the plane flying low, with its nose up and tail down, ejecting fuel -- which struck him as unusual. The engine was straining, he said.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: aviation; fa18; fa18d; nasoceana; navair; planecrash; vfa106; virginia; virginiabeach
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To: SZonian

no problem. Thanks, I appreciate your response. I agree with you. Each situation is going to be different and the pilots just do their best.


21 posted on 04/06/2012 11:48:00 AM PDT by Shamrock498
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To: Shamrock498

Most pilots will stay with the plane long enough to insure it doesn’t land on people. However in many cases the pilots lose all ability to control the aircraft.

If they can’t control it why would they ride it in to their deaths?


22 posted on 04/06/2012 11:48:43 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: SlowBoat407

Which also means they probably had little altitude.

Leaves practically no margin for error or time for action.

Thanks,
SZ


23 posted on 04/06/2012 11:54:30 AM PDT by SZonian (Throwing our allegiances to political party's in the long run gave away our liberty.)
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To: martin_fierro
What ever happened to editors?

Just be thankful they didn't alter the quote to this:

George Pilkington, an eye witness to the crash, said the pilot was black -- which struck him as unusual.

24 posted on 04/06/2012 11:57:16 AM PDT by Erik Latranyi (When religions have to beg the gov't for a waiver, we are already under socialism.)
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To: magslinger

ping


25 posted on 04/06/2012 12:06:12 PM PDT by Vroomfondel
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Tail down nose up

Classic stall configuration


26 posted on 04/06/2012 12:11:34 PM PDT by GIANTSBEATPATS
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To: WilliamofCarmichael
Yet more reminders that even without actual combat there are hourly heroics and sacrifices made by our military.

Your last statement is SO correct! I live in Jacksonville,NC, which is home to CampLejeune MCB and New River Air Station. Our community knows all too well the sacrifices made every day by our military - whether they are at home or deployed. The liberals probably think that it is a waste of time and resources for them to "practice" so much, but that is the reason that they can perform so well in combat situations. They have trained so well that they do their jobs without even thinking. A case in point is the recent story or a soldier who was killed saving a young Afghan girl who was about to be run over by a large military vehicle. He acted instinctively without regard to his own personal safety.

27 posted on 04/06/2012 12:26:32 PM PDT by srmorton (Deut. 30 19: "..I have set before you life and death,....therefore, choose life..")
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Updraft from that hot air Dick Durbin’s spewing today.


28 posted on 04/06/2012 12:27:52 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg (hoaxy dopey changey)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

My son is stationed there. Had a few anxious moments till he texted me back.


29 posted on 04/06/2012 12:32:14 PM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (To the left the truth looks Right-Wing.)
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To: The_Reader_David

On of the TV reporters just said, “right now we’re trying to effort the VDOT”. Say what???


30 posted on 04/06/2012 12:33:18 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg (hoaxy dopey changey)
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To: All

What the F are all of you talking about editors? This is a tragegy and half of you morons are talking about editors. I don’t understand. Please explain.


31 posted on 04/06/2012 12:50:36 PM PDT by New Jersey Realist (America: home of the free because of the brave)
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To: ArmstedFragg

VDOT Virginia Department of Transportation

Incidently, my business is 3 blocks from the jet crash site.


32 posted on 04/06/2012 1:01:55 PM PDT by Don@VB (Power Corrupts)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Fox News reporting the aircraft was an F-18 Delta Super Hornet.Well, if it was, it wasn't. Cannot be both.

F-18D's are Hornets. Super Hornets are E/F/G models, considerably newer and larger than Hornets.

Also, the location of both pilots indicates a very low ejection, probably stuck around until they ran out of altitude, control, or ideas...probably all three.

33 posted on 04/06/2012 1:03:10 PM PDT by diogenes ghost
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To: All

Not a whole lot of time to think.

(http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/12/2010/08/500x_canadian_air_show_ejection.jpg)

34 posted on 04/06/2012 1:04:39 PM PDT by WilliamofCarmichael (If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!)
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To: Don@VB

used to live a block from the crash site. Steering it away from populated area would have been straight ahead into the ocean. Problem with that is that there would have been any number of hotels in the path along the beach.


35 posted on 04/06/2012 1:07:51 PM PDT by tenger (It's a good thing we don't get all the government we pay for. -Will Rogers)
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To: New Jersey Realist
What the F are all of you talking about editors? This is a tragegy and half of you morons are talking about editors. I don’t understand. Please explain.

Maybe editors screwed up the training manuals?

36 posted on 04/06/2012 1:08:40 PM PDT by Lazamataz (Shut up and drill.)
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To: Shamrock498

I had the same thought and question.


37 posted on 04/06/2012 1:08:57 PM PDT by eccentric (a.k.a. baldwidow)
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To: GIANTSBEATPATS
Tail down nose up

Classic stall configuration


F/A-18's are capable of about a 55 degree angle of attack in level flight at very low air speeds. It would not be unusual to see this occur if the pilot is trying to keep it in the air long enough to dump as much fuel as possible. I would assume that this was the pilot's intention.
38 posted on 04/06/2012 1:20:36 PM PDT by intheheartland
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To: Don@VB
The VDOT part I understood. It's the “trying to effort” I was commenting on.

I've had that “near miss” feeling a few times myself. I'd say a little discreet celebrating is in order tonight.

39 posted on 04/06/2012 1:24:54 PM PDT by ArmstedFragg (hoaxy dopey changey)
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To: intheheartland

A speaker, who is a pilot, said they were about a mile and half from where they took off to where they crashed......so just seconds to make decisions on what to do...wonder how fast this jet was going?....obvious the pilot had no where to go in such short time.

The pilot speaking said the pilot did the right thing.


40 posted on 04/06/2012 1:37:41 PM PDT by caww
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