Navy Jet Crashes in California but Pilot Ejects Safely

A flight deck handler watches as an F/A 18E Super Hornet is launched from the USS Nimitz in the Prsian Gulf on April 11, 2003. (Richard Vogel/AP Photo)

CHINA LAKE, Calif.—A Navy fighter jet crashed Tuesday in the Mojave Desert but its pilot safely ejected, the Navy said.

The F/A-18E Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California’s Central Valley went down during a routine training mission in Superior Valley south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, the Lemoore base said in a Facebook post.

“The pilot ejected safely and was taken to a local medical facility for examination,” it said.

Vapor trails are seen forming on an F/A-18E Super Hornet over Death Valley National Park, Calif., on Feb. 28, 2017. (Ben Margot/AP Photo)

The statement said the Navy was cooperating with local authorities and contained no further details.

China Lake is about 115 miles north of Los Angeles. Lemoore is about 135 miles northwest of China Lake.