Ace of Spades HQ

April 07, 2012

Good Friday Miracle: No Fatalities In Va. Beach F-18 Crash
— andy

What can you say? From the reports on the ground, it looked like this was going to be awful.

As it turned out, not so much.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) - A 12-ton Navy jet loaded with tons of fuel crashes in a spectacular fireball into a big apartment complex, scattering plane parts and wiping out some 40 units. How is it that everyone survived?
The mayor of Virginia Beach could only call it a "Good Friday miracle" and pilots marveled at how a failed training flight that engulfed buildings in flames managed to crash without killing anyone. The student pilot, his instructor and five on the ground were hurt, but all were out of the hospital by Saturday.

Via @JeffEmanuel

Posted by: andy at 04:48 PM | Comments (80)
Post contains 141 words, total size 1 kb.

1 The pilots punched out very low. Amazing nerve. Love those aviators. Uh-platonically speaking.

Posted by: Red in Maine at April 07, 2012 04:52 PM (3pst+)

2 Skilled pilots?

Posted by: Nowhere, KS at April 07, 2012 04:53 PM (Rs9j+)

3 Thank God.

Posted by: rd at April 07, 2012 04:55 PM (9sUlj)

4 The Obamunist is STILL a SCOAMF

Posted by: middle-america at April 07, 2012 04:57 PM (AQktO)

5 It's especially amazing if, as they say, it was right after take off.

Posted by: Clutch Cargo at April 07, 2012 04:59 PM (Qxdfp)

6 Ryan Gosling is resting after pulling all those folks out of the apartment building just in time.

Posted by: eman at April 07, 2012 04:59 PM (SkRNT)

7 Good news. It sure looked bad when the pictures came out. I can't imagine what was going through the pilot's head when he realized he was ejecting over the city.

Posted by: Darth Chipmunk at April 07, 2012 05:01 PM (4tnQK)

8 breaking news: Gary Hart is blogging for the Huffington (dang this is some good 'herb') Post. Talk about a deep bench! The dems have locked up the re-election of Obama.

Posted by: middle-america at April 07, 2012 05:03 PM (AQktO)

9 Used to live in Redwing, near the area. Navy jets (F-14s back then) were flying out of Oceana all the time. I always liked it, and Oceana had the best E-Club of all the bases. Of course, the jet jocks got all the hot wimmens.....

Posted by: USS Diversity at April 07, 2012 05:03 PM (vpe0k)

10 Politico is positing that Obama needs a slogan for 2012. Maybe the moron nation can help?

Posted by: Darth Chipmunk at April 07, 2012 05:06 PM (4tnQK)

11 If I had a son, he would like a bit like an F-18.

Posted by: F-14 Tomcat at April 07, 2012 05:07 PM (7WWMm)

12 If I had a jet fighter crash, it would look like this one.

Posted by: Obama at April 07, 2012 05:10 PM (Qxdfp)

I doubt a ruptured fuel line could result in most of the full fuel load being dumped in the few seconds between the failure (probably turbine disintegration) and the impact.

Just a hunch, but I would bet that one of the crew took the extra time required to cut loose that big-ass centerline fuel tank the F-18 Super Hornets haul around. In the military, that kind of clear-headed thinking about the safety of others while your own life hangs by a thread is sort of a common thread in what they teach you.

Of course, you have to have nerves of steel to pass the exam.

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 05:11 PM (8ra42)

14 Cubic Point O'club- best place to watch navy pilots do "carrier landings".

Posted by: Red in Maine at April 07, 2012 05:11 PM (3pst+)

15 I saw an F-18 crash into an airport in the early 80's. El Cajon CA. Stepped out of my apt and saw it flying (upside down) about 50 feet above the ground. Really weird stuff.

Posted by: Jimmah at April 07, 2012 05:11 PM (UpwlP)

16 Bull Meacham would have got that F-18 out over the water.

Posted by: USS Diversity at April 07, 2012 05:13 PM (vpe0k)

17 Praise be to God for all His mercies.

Posted by: goddessoftheclassroom at April 07, 2012 05:14 PM (pW1NV)

18 Its a good thing Al Gore invented the ejector seat.

Posted by: dananjcon at April 07, 2012 05:14 PM (bX0ZS)

19 Hell, a Passover miracle too. Is that old yenta M.O. Still mayor?

I hope the Admirals had a moment of silence before the game tonight.

Posted by: logprof at April 07, 2012 05:15 PM (ykSKg)

20 I heard the pilot took so long to bail because he was dumping fuel. Which is probably what kept this from being a whole lot worse.

Posted by: Peaches at April 07, 2012 05:21 PM (w407e)

21 O/T, but Chief Jay Strongbow has died. For those of us of a certain age, the "Chief", aka a South Philly guy named Joe Scarpa, represented Saturday morning TV fare.

Yeah, wrestling's fake and Chief J's act was probably racist, but bite me, another icon from my youth is gone.

Posted by: Ombudsman at April 07, 2012 05:22 PM (AxHOT)

22 Politico is positing that Obama needs a slogan for 2012. Maybe the moron nation can help?

Posted by: Darth Chipmunk at April 07, 2012 09:06 PM (4tnQK)

"Vote Obama because, let's face it, you're still just as fuckin' stupid as you were four years ago."

Posted by: Peaches at April 07, 2012 05:23 PM (w407e)

23 Its a good thing Al Gore invented the fuel dumping device.

Posted by: dananjcon at April 07, 2012 05:23 PM (bX0ZS)

24 Reminds me that we lost Neptunus Lex not so long ago. I never liked that friggin Kfir thing he was flying, and one of the last posts he wrote was about a drag chute failure he just had, which is a BFD in a Kfir, and how it made him think about how you never know the date of the Final Exam. Damn I miss reading him.

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 05:24 PM (8ra42)

25 12 If I had a jet fighter crash, it would look like this one. Posted by: Obama at April 07, 2012 09:10 PM (Qxdfp) ************** Don't flatter yourself, your'e crashing of the economy is looking like a cross between the titanic and the Hindenburg.

Posted by: Calamity Jane at April 07, 2012 05:25 PM (r2PLg)

26 21 That's sad, a fall huh?
I guess he got the final 3 count.

He was responsible for the deaths of more chairs than the entire public school system combined.

I loved him and the Iron Sheik and Mr. Fuji and all those proper ne'r do wells.

Posted by: Clutch Cargo at April 07, 2012 05:26 PM (Qxdfp)

27 25

If I had a Hindenburg it would look like Michelle.

Oh, wait...

Posted by: Obama at April 07, 2012 05:28 PM (Qxdfp)

28 Associated Press: Gutsy call, Obama ordered the pilot to dump fuel so nobody was killed.

Posted by: robtr at April 07, 2012 05:28 PM (MtwBb)

29 First report I managed to get about the crash, they talked about the dumping of the fuel, the evidence that they had ejected low & late, their injuries and I knew what those guys probably did. Yet no immediate reports of fatalities. A few days of some unaccounted for, and then not even that. Don't know how bad those injuries were, but the whole episode is just astonishing.

Posted by: A Mindful Webworker at April 07, 2012 05:29 PM (lBpVP)

30 If it were section 9 housing there would be a lot more deaths. Just sayin

Posted by: drew at April 07, 2012 05:30 PM (VK4bK)

31 Hmm. Possibly the causality count is what it is because folks in that neighborhood work for a living?

Posted by: Fritz at April 07, 2012 05:30 PM (KWdVT)

32 Remember that painting some leftist loon did just after the airliner crashlanded in the Hudson? Obama in the cockpit helping the pilot save the plane. I bet he does another one for this occasion.

Posted by: Trimegistus at April 07, 2012 05:32 PM (w4QuJ)

33 Praise the lord and our brave aviators.

Posted by: Y-not at April 07, 2012 05:32 PM (5H6zj)

34 Obama '12: Because You're Just as Easy to Roll as 4 Years Ago"

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 05:33 PM (8ra42)

35 I loved him and the Iron Sheik and Mr. Fuji and all those proper ne'r do wells.

Posted by: Clutch Cargo at April 07, 2012 09:26 PM (Qxdfp)

Don't forget Dr. Toru Tanaka, whom I think was just a repackaged Mr, Fuji. And Sergeant Slaughter. A good buddy of mine wrestled during that era, and he said Slaughter, the Sheik, etc. were good guys from Jersey. And you wouldn't believe the wrestling trips with the midget wrestlers. Apparently, there's a segment of the female population that LOVES midgets

Posted by: Ombudsman at April 07, 2012 05:33 PM (AxHOT)

36 Possibly the causality count is what it is because folks in that neighborhood work for a living?

Posted by: Fritz at April 07, 2012 09:30 PM (KWdVT)

Exactly what I told Thor.

Posted by: Tammy al Thor at April 07, 2012 05:35 PM (SsG4J)

37 Obama '12, because you don't really want to start supporting yourself, do you?

Posted by: Peaches at April 07, 2012 05:35 PM (w407e)

38 Obama '12, because shut up, that's why

Posted by: Heorot at April 07, 2012 05:36 PM (Y06m6)

Praise the lord and our brave aviators.

Posted by: Y-not at April 07, 2012 09:32 PM (5H6zj)

This.

And if I may, the word "miracle" is used way too often and way too loosely.

I understand the desire to use it when something amazing happens but that doesn't make it a miracle IYKWIM.

Posted by: ErikW at April 07, 2012 05:37 PM (4Pbqc)

40 After a 16 hour nap/rereflection period, I made the gutsy call to have the pilots eject, and have the plane continue on course into just the right location to avoid any fatalities.

Posted by: CiCSCOAMF at April 07, 2012 05:37 PM (PIu/i)

41 Obama 2012 If you like your liberty you can keep it.

Posted by: dananjcon at April 07, 2012 05:38 PM (bX0ZS)

42 Good thing Al Gore invented wrestling. Some more names. Verne Gagne The Crusher Nick Bockwinkle

Posted by: Truck Monkey at April 07, 2012 05:40 PM (jucos)

43 40 After a 16 hour nap/rereflection period AND SIX HOURS ON THE GOLF COURSE, I made the gutsy call ----- FIFY

Posted by: Y-not at April 07, 2012 05:41 PM (5H6zj)

44 How about Man Mountain Cannon?

Posted by: Red in Maine at April 07, 2012 05:42 PM (3pst+)

45 Best wrestler of all time. Gorgeous George.

Posted by: Ronster at April 07, 2012 05:44 PM (XkVVw)

46 Praise the lord and our brave aviators.

Posted by: Y-not at April 07, 2012 09:32 PM (5H6zj)

I live outside Phila by the Willow Grove NAS. They used to have an air show every year.- Blue Angels, Stealth Bomber, the whole deal.

About 6 years ago part of the prime demonstration was an F-14 Tomcat. Well, something went mechanically wrong during the performance, and the pilot had two choices - eject and let the plane crash in a populated area, or bring it down in a field, sacrificing his life. He did the latter. An American hero

Posted by: Ombudsman at April 07, 2012 05:44 PM (AxHOT)

black thugs sucker punch a white guy, strip him naked and steal his stuff in downtown baltimore while black crowd laughs.

http://tinyurl.com/chuerca

Posted by: robtr at April 07, 2012 05:44 PM (MtwBb)

48 Posted by: robtr at April 07, 2012 09:44 PM (MtwBb) -------------------------------------------------------- Baltimore is not even safe at the Inner Harbor anymore. I haven't stepped foot downtown in over a decade.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at April 07, 2012 05:46 PM (jucos)

49 Obama '12: This Time, He Really Won't Beat You Anymore.

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 05:46 PM (8ra42)

50 Ethiopian Rabbi celebrates own journey

Cool story at link in my nick.

Posted by: logprof at April 07, 2012 05:47 PM (ykSKg)

51 Sherlock, I'll second that on missing Lex.
I did go to the public services for him, met a lot of great people, and it helped.

Lots of the commenters there have a group blog, thelexicans.wordpress.com if you care to stop by.

As for this crash, it is something of a miracle no one was killed. I'm reminded of the F-18 that crashed at Mirimar a couple years ago and wiped out some poor guys family while he was at work.

Posted by: xbradtc at April 07, 2012 05:48 PM (yVIqn)

52 Reminds me that we lost Neptunus Lex not so long ago.

I found him through a link at another milblog years ago. What a great writer. Poet warrior isn't quite right for him but you get my drift.

Posted by: Retread at April 07, 2012 05:48 PM (joSBv)

53 Thomas Kinkade, self-styled "Painter of Light," apparently died. Can't say I fancied his work, but RIP.

Posted by: CoolCzech at April 07, 2012 05:48 PM (niZvt)

54 Obama '12, You've still got more money than you need

Posted by: Heorot at April 07, 2012 05:49 PM (Y06m6)

55 Its a good thing Al Gore invented the fuel dumping device. Posted by: dananjcon at April 07, 2012 09:23 PM

I believe that's the LATE Al Gore.

Posted by: huerfano at April 07, 2012 05:49 PM (bAGA/)

56 Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart

Posted by: USS Diversity at April 07, 2012 05:49 PM (vpe0k)

57 Thanks, xbradtc.

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 05:50 PM (8ra42)

58 Most painters aspire to earn a tenth of what Kinkade earned.

Posted by: navybrat at April 07, 2012 05:51 PM (/eSN8)

59 http://tinyurl.com/7gappzl

GZ/TM in reverse. Black male shoots white Hispanic. Strangely, media not in a lather over it.

Posted by: someone at April 07, 2012 05:51 PM (bqjJT)

60 Yeah, wrestling's fake and Chief J's act was probably racist, but bite me, another icon from my youth is gone. Posted by: Ombudsman at April 07, 2012 09:22 PM (AxHOT) Shit. He was a great favorite. When he started his dance you knew he was about to kick some ass.

Posted by: eman at April 07, 2012 05:54 PM (SkRNT)

61 When I was a kid, our church hosted several utes from Inner City Baltimore in our homes, to give them some kind of rural experience. One of the kids molested somebody's sister and got sent back. Our kid was OK, as I recall, except he wanted to box me alla time....years later I asked Dad, I wonder where [our kid] is now? Probably jail, he said.

Posted by: USS Diversity at April 07, 2012 05:54 PM (vpe0k)

62 24 Reminds me that we lost Neptunus Lex not so long ago. I never liked that friggin Kfir thing he was flying, and one of the last posts he wrote was about a drag chute failure he just had, which is a BFD in a Kfir, and how it made him think about how you never know the date of theFinal Exam. Damn I miss reading him.

Posted by: sherlock at April 07, 2012 09:24 PM (8ra42)

Amen brother.

RIP Lex. Thanks for your service Aviator

Posted by: Mike in CFL at April 07, 2012 05:55 PM (motsG)

63 What's this crap about putting all these now homeless folks up at local elementary school? Put them in a real hotel!

Posted by: Jimbo at April 07, 2012 05:58 PM (O3R/2)

64 Weasel Zippers is reporting that Obama's campaign is in a tizzy because they can't come up with another mindless slogan like "Hope and Change" to fill the space between the ears of his groupies. "We Can't Wait" and "Winning the Future" crapped out, because the vocabulary is too hard for the average Obamabot. How could something as obvious as "You're Welcome!" miss their attention?

Posted by: CoolCzech at April 07, 2012 06:01 PM (niZvt)

65 BTW, If there's any place on earth more beautiful than Augusta National in April, I have yet to see it.

Posted by: Ombudsman at April 07, 2012 06:01 PM (AxHOT)

66 Thank God, wonderful military training and the honor and steely nerves of the crew. This story made my day brighter, thanks Andy.

Posted by: Palerider at April 07, 2012 06:08 PM (5CusZ)

67 someone: I posted over there at JWF. I took the driver's side until further evidence is forthcoming.

Posted by: Boulder Toilet Hobo at April 07, 2012 06:08 PM (QTHTd)

68 Why doesn't Obama go with the obvious and meta "We Need Slogans!"

Posted by: sistrum at April 07, 2012 06:13 PM (AyryN)

69 Luke 23:34: Forgive them Father, they don't know what the f*** they're doing.

Posted by: ErikW at April 07, 2012 06:31 PM (4Pbqc)

70 2012 - "More Flexibility to be Absolutely Clear"

Posted by: Carolyn at April 07, 2012 06:31 PM (9h1Fe)

71 Not you guys, the Godless assholes.

Posted by: ErikW at April 07, 2012 06:33 PM (4Pbqc)

72 So far, only the tip has been in; Your reaming begins in earnest in 2013! Obama 2012

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars at April 07, 2012 07:12 PM (O4KfX)

73 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at April 07, 2012 07:15 PM (7W3wI)

74 46 Ombudsman: I also remember the crash of an A-4 about 15-20 years ago. It was on a routine flight, not during an air show. The pilot aimed it towards an intersection in a residential neighborhood, then ejected. Nobody was hurt, and a few houses suffered light to moderate damage.

Posted by: rickl supports SMOD/Supervolcano 2012 at April 07, 2012 07:16 PM (sdi6R)

75 Obama 2012: Because Someone Out There Still Has What's Rightfully Yours

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars at April 07, 2012 07:19 PM (YiyR/)

No one was killed because the apartment complex was already overrun with zombies. Duh, that's why they crashed a plane into it.

Posted by: Sad Dad at April 07, 2012 07:40 PM (wWZWw)

Logprof,

Do you live in the Va Beach area? Will Sessoms defeated Meyera Oberndorf in 2008, so he is now the mayor. He used campaign literature with Obama's picture on it during the height of Obamamania, so I think that is the only reason he was able to oust M.O., who had been mayor since I was in 4th grade.

I work at the hospital the injured were taken to. It's absolutely amazing that no one was killed or seriously injured considering 3 apartment buildings were obliterated and two others were severely damaged. There were 3 people unaccounted for late last night, but it was later determined they were out of town, so there were no fatalities as a result of the crash. As a citizen rushed out of his apartment to help the pilot who parachuted onto his back porch, the first thing the pilot said was, "I'm so sorry for destroying your home." The pilot was only semi-conscious at the time, so I'm still amazed he was able to say even that much.

Posted by: Langdon_Alger at April 07, 2012 08:12 PM (Ix/E2)

78 i attribute this miraculous outcome to the intercession of Saint Neptunus Lex...

Posted by: redc1c4 at April 08, 2012 01:13 AM (8MasJ)

79 ______________________________

I am a lifelong Tidewater native. (I've lived most of my life in Va Beach, but I'm currently in Norfolk.) I was listening to El Rushbo when radio station WNIS broke in with the news.

I have to say, my friends and I were gratefully astounded when after six hours there had been no reports of fatalities. We prayed that situation would hold but we all still expected that at least a few deaths would be reported.

By the yesterday morning it was obvious that something approaching a miracle had occurred.

Posted by: _Dave_ at April 08, 2012 12:10 PM (2amQY)

80 Navy pilots are the best. That's what I can say.