Navy F-18 fighter jet crashes into Virginia Beach apartment

Six injured in fireball as Navy F-18 fighter jet crashes into Virginia Beach apartment building - but both crew eject to safety

• Navy F/A-18D crashes into Virginia Beach apartment complex around noon today
• Two pilots ejected from aircraft before impact
• Both pilots among those taken to hospital; one was heard apologising for crashing into residential buildings
• Six civilians - including one police officer - also taken, but extent of injuries is unknown
• Rescuers now searching homes for possible victims
• 
  
• ianto the suburbs of Virginia Beach, Virginia, ripping the roofs off of condos, town houses, and a retirement community.

But miraculously, there have been no reported fatalities. The two crew members ejected from the F/A-18D as it plummeted to the ground after take-off after dumping as much fuel as possible from the stricken aircraft - an act firefighters say saved lives.

Six civilians, as well as the two pilots, were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated, but their injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening.

The terrifying footage and photographs from this afternoon painted a different picture, showing smoke rising from numerous homes and the wreckage of the fuselage laying smoldering on the ground.

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Smoldering: The burning fuselage of an F/A-18 Hornet lies smoldering after crashing into a residential building in Virginia Beach

Inferno: Though the pilots expelled most of the fuel before crashing, the fuselage was caught ablaze

Wrecked: An aerial view of the apartments shows the roofs of several buildings completely destroyed

Smoke: Virginia Department of Transportation traffic cameras show thick, black smoke rising from the Mayfair Mews apartment complex

Trajectory: The F18 took off from the base about three miles away from the Mayfair Mews apartments; it would seem the pilots were heading towards the ocean

Live video from WAVY-TV showed dozens of police cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles filling the densely populated neighborhood where the plane crashed. Yellow fire hoses snaked through side streets as fire crews poured water on the charred rooftops of brick apartment houses.

Three buildings were destroyed, and two more had significant damage, Virginia Beach fire department spokesman Tim Riley told WVEC-TV.

The fire had been put out, and now crews were going through the buildings to search for anyone who may have been inside, an official told the Associated Press.

 

Dr. Thomas Thames of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital told WAVY-TV that six people were brought to the hospital, including the two pilots. Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, one fainted at the scene and the other person was a police officer hurt at the scene, he said.

The jet, confirmed to be a Delta two-seat model, crashed at the Mayfield Mews apartment complex, about a mile from the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia Beach.

The Navy said in a news release that the jet was an F/A-18D assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 106 based at Naval Air Station Oceana.

The military organisation said that the jet crashed shortly after takeoff at a site near the base at about 12:05 p.m. 

Witness Zack Zapatero told CNN that the jet crashed into a building where many senior citizens live. ‘There’s these large fire balls coming up,’ he said.
There were also reports of buildings collapsing.

Take off: The F18 is seen taking off from Naval Air Station Oceana in its ill-fated flight

Gaining control: Firefighters worked hard to contain the fire, which could have been much worse if the pilots did not first dump much of the jet's fuel

In shock: Elizabeth DeAngelis, right, a resident of the Mayfair Mews Apartments, huddles in a blanket, as her daughter Misty Caine lets a caller know that her mother is fine

Mother and daughter: Steffany Poe with her two-year-old daughter Izabella watch as Virginia Beach Fire Department try to extinguish the flames

Bruce Nedelka, the Virginia Beach EMS division chief, said that it seemed like the pilots were dumping the jet’s fuel prior to the crash.

That action likely prevented a massive fireball upon impact, he said. ‘He mitigated what could have been an absolute massive, massive fireball. With all of that jet fuel dumped, it was much less than what it could have been.’

George Pilkington also witnessed the disaster, and told CNN the timeline of events, describing a few large explosions after the initial crash. He said: ‘It was emptying out fuel and the tail end was down. They (the crew members) must have ejected before they came down.’

Mr Pilkington also said the engine sounded like it was ‘straining and stressing.’

Scene of chaos: Emergency personal swarmed the scene after the crash

Back in black: Virginia Beach Police walk through the crash site; emergency workers were applauded by Virginia Beach mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. today

Put out: The Virginia Beach Fire Department used several engines to fight the flames

Overhead helicopter video from WAVY-TV showed fire crews in the apartment complex with large ladders spraying water on multiple smoking buildings, one of which has part of its roof torn off.

Robert Matthias, assistant to Virginia Beach's city manager, told The Associated Press crews are at the scene of an apartment complex where the jet crashed in what he described as a courtyard. 'So far, they haven't found any casualties,' Mr Matthias said.

Speaking only five blocks from the smouldering apartment buildings, Virginia Beach mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr released a statement this afternoon praising the work of first responders, lauding ‘how quickly and effectively Virginia Beach’s police, fire, and EMS personnel responded to the scene of this horrific crash.’

He added: ‘Their dedication to their jobs, to saving lives, and to public safety is commendable.’

Fallen: One of the ejected pilot seats landed in a nearby yard

Guard duty: Virginia Beach Police guard one of the ejection seats which landed about 100 yards from the crash site

Taken away: A man is helped by rescue personnel at the scene of a jet crash

Taken away: One of the pilots is seen being taken away on a stretcher by emergency crews - he and the other pilot ejected from the F-18 jet

Confusion: Virginia Beach residents saw a grey-black plume of smoke snaking into the sky; some described the overwhelming smell of jet fuel

Burning: The apartment complex is seen engulfed in flames

PilotOnline.com quoted a spokesman for Naval Air Force Atlantic who said the F/A-18 Hornet crashed Friday in the vicinity of Birdneck Road.

Another witness said that when the pilot came down he was still strapped to his ejector seat and had to be pulled out of the wreckage - when he immediately said sorry for the crash.

'(The pilot) apologised very much for hitting out complex and I told him: ‘Don’t worry about it, everything’s going to be fine.'

Retired Virginia Beach rescuer Pat Kavanaugh told CNN: ‘He apologised very much for hitting out complex and I told him: ‘Don’t worry about it, everything’s going to be fine’.

‘I checked him over, did a body survey, he was in shock, still strapped to his seat so we picked him up, dragged him to the other side of the parking lot away from the fire.

‘He had something on the lower half of his body, something heavy. 

‘I knew we have gas in the buildings, so I didn’t know if there were going to be secondary explosions’.

Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesperson Cmdr. Phil Rosi told the website that both aviators safely ejected from the plane.

The jet belongs to VFA’s Strike Fighter Squadron 106 – a training division for student pilots. Because of the crash, Virginia State police have shut down Interstate 264 in both directions.

People are being advised to stay away from the area.

Stealing a view: Onlookers climb a wooden fence to get a better look at the crash

Observer on the roof: Resident Marcus Jones stands on the rooftop of a townhouse to get a better view

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell issued the following statement: ‘We are taking all possible steps at the state level to provide immediate resources and assistance to those impacted by the crash of an F-18 fighter jet in Virginia Beach. 

‘In the past half hour I have spoken to Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms several times and informed him that all Commonwealth resources are available to him as the community responds to this breaking situation. We are monitoring events carefully as they unfold and State Police resources are now on the scene. Our fervent prayer is that no one was injured or killed in this accident.'

According to wsbt.com, the Red Cross has dispatched first responder teams to help with the accident, and will dispense food, water, shelter, and clothing as needed.

Virginia Beach is on the Atlantic Coast about 200 miles south of Washington, DC.

Cinder and smoke: At least ive buildings were reported to be seriously damage; there are no reports yet of civilian injuries

Elite aircraft: An F/A-18D Hornet is seen landing on an aircraft carrier (stock photo)