A bloodied Marine pilot was able to walk away from the scene after a fighter jet crashed into a remote mountainside in the US.
New body camera footage shows the aftermath of the serious crash in Washington state in June, when an F-18 jet smashed into trees, sparking a wildfire.
The multi-million-dollar McDonnell Douglas Hornet was destroyed in the crash near Rimrock Lake on June 13, while the pilot managed to eject himself before the smash.
Police officers came across the pilot on a nearby road, who appeared shaken and covered in blood.
The pilot, from the Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based in California, can be seen on the phone with 911 as he approaches the officers, video released by Yakima County Sheriff’s Office shows.
The man is coherent and able to explain first-hand how he slammed into the trees.
The pilot says: ‘That’s an F-18. Well, that was an F-18.
‘We were doing circles over the lake, doing some low-level training.
‘And then I tucked in, and honestly I’m not sure exactly.’
A witness says: ‘You hit the tree bad, bud.’
‘You’re shaking.’
The pilot then phones his team, saying ‘hey buddy, I just crashed.’
He suffered minor cuts and lacerations in the crash, which was described as a ‘non-fatal aviation mishap’ by his squadron, and was taken to a hospital for a check-up.
The crash led to a wildfire in the remote area within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest around 125 miles southeast of Seattle.
Campers in the area were evacuated, and the fire department sent in a helicopter to tackle the flames.
The crash remains under investigation.
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