Marine F/A-18D pilot ejects safely before crash in Washington state

A US Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from an F/A-18D Hornet before the fighter crashed near Rimrock Lake in Washington state on June 13, 2026, sparking a wildfire in rugged terrain near the eastern side of the Cascade Range.

The crash happened around midday while the aircraft was conducting a routine training mission, according to local reports citing Marine Corps officials. The pilot was recovered by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office after ejecting and was taken for medical evaluation.

The Marine Corps said the aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The service said the cause of the mishap is under investigation and that no additional details would be released while the investigation is ongoing.

The aircraft came down near Rimrock Lake in Yakima County, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle. Local fire officials said the crash ignited a forest fire in the surrounding woods, drawing a response from the Naches Fire Department and the US Forest Service.

Fire crews worked to protect cabins near Bear Creek, and authorities closed the main road south of Rimrock Lake while campers were evacuated from the area. Local officials urged people to avoid the area while firefighting and recovery operations continued.

The aircraft was reported to be an F/A-18D Legacy Hornet operating on the VR-1355 low-level training route when it crashed.

The F/A-18D is the two-seat version of the legacy Hornet, the twin-engine combat aircraft that has served with the US Marine Corps for decades. While the Navy has largely moved to the newer F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Marine Corps has continued operating legacy Hornets as it transitions more squadrons to the F-35.The post Marine F/A-18D pilot ejects safely before crash in Washington state appeared first on AeroTime.

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