Pilot rescued after Hawker Hunter crashes off California coast

A US Navy crew rescued the pilot of a Hawker Hunter after the jet went down in the Pacific Ocean off California on September 22, 2026, following a reported loss of engine thrust.

The aircraft, operated by military training contractor Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), crashed about six miles northwest of Morro Bay. Coast Guard spokesperson Kenneth Wiese confirmed the rescue. The pilot’s condition was not immediately available.

“Mayday, mayday, mayday, I have lost thrust in my engine,” the pilot said in radio communications published by LiveATC.

The newspaper identified the single-seat jet as N345AX. Flightradar24 data showed it flying with other aircraft off the Monterey and San Luis Obispo County coasts before the crash.

Coast Guard crews searched the area after the Navy recovered the pilot but found no aircraft wreckage. Authorities asked boaters to watch for debris or pollution and report any sightings to Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.

The aircraft had an earlier career as a British airshow performer. Previously registered G-PSST and known as “Miss Demeanour,” it flew in a distinctive multicolored paint scheme before joining the military training business.

Aircraft history records trace the Hunter to Royal Air Force service as XF947, followed by service with the Swiss Air Force. Canadian company Lortie Aviation acquired it in 2017, and it subsequently received its US registration, N345AX.

ATAC provides civilian-operated aircraft to help train US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force crews. Its pilots fly as opposing forces during exercises, using aircraft including Hawker Hunters, Mirage F1s and F-21 Kfirs. The company also uses Hunters for air-to-surface and fleet training missions.

The crash follows the loss of another ATAC Hunter off California less than a year earlier. On October 15, 2025, a Hunter went down near Big Sur, and a Navy helicopter crew rescued its pilot. That pilot suffered serious spinal injuries.

The post Pilot rescued after Hawker Hunter crashes off California coast appeared first on AeroTime.

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