F-18 Fighter Jet Crashes Into Virginia Apartment Complex

New submitter atomatica writes "A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed shortly after takeoff into an apartment complex near Virginia Beach, Virginia. Both pilots and multiple civilians have been transported to a hospital." Gizmodo has lots of shiny pictures and more detail.

Comments

Duh McDuhface

[Cazekiel]

The coverage of this was nuts. The TV in my restaurant had some idiot reporter asking someone who was there asking him, "What's the chaos like? Were there people scattering?" #1, it's a sure bet she wanted to say BODIES scattering, an #2, if not, then the question is one of the dumbest I'd ever heard. That's like asking, "Is everyone standing there in harm's way, or fleeing in terror?"

Re:Duh McDuhface

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

The idea that the medium is the message is overblown; but it certainly shapes the message. Unfortunately, TV gets all the wrong shaping.

In order to take advantage of the 'live' nature of the medium, the station is effectively required to field somebody to stand at the scene and make noises while facing the camera as soon as humanly possible. Regardless of whether they know anything useful, and regardless of whether they could spend the camera time learning something useful to bring back to the camera. At one time, this did have the virtue of ensuring a camera at the scene; but cheap silicon sensors have basically covered that now. Since they don't actually know anything of use, they generally fill their time by asking unutterably stupid questions. Since that is boring, they'll have to elicit some emotion or 'reaction' so that the audience doesn't glaze over and change the channel.

Even better, after the big kids have had time to sift through the details, airtime is too limited(and broadcast video not terribly information dense) for those details to be presented in any comprehensive or coherent way. Instead, you generally get a brief summary "Pilot Error!/Mechanical Failure!/Search For Answers Continues!" followed by some emotive human-interest stories.

Re:Duh McDuhface

[Ihmhi]

Well, you know what says a lot about the pilots? They ejected as close to the last second as possible. When you have a rocket chair that leads to instant safety, it's gotta be pretty goddamned hard not to take that option when you know shit hit the fan.

But they didn't. They got the plane under control as best they could and only ejected when crashing was practically imminent.

Really?

[Daetrin]

Both pilots and multiple civilians have been transported to a hospital.

Gizmodo has lots of shiny pictures and more detail.

Really Slashdot/Unknown Lamer? I've got a morbid sense of humor at times, and i'm not even saying i'm not interested in the pictures, but "lots of people are injured and some of them may die" and we've got "lots of shiny pictures" about it! seems a bit callous to me. I mean if it were actually part of some morbid joke it'd be fine, but it's not even a joke, it's just being totally insensitive for no good reason.

Re:Really?

[Daetrin]

You see, normally i agree with you when someone complains about other people on Slashdot making light of death. But see this? That's funny. so is this. And i'm sure there will be more funny posts later. Humor is an important part of dealing with tragedy.

However "Oooohhh! People have been hurt! And there are shiny pictures of it! Wanna see?!?" isn't being sensitive and it isn't funny either.

Re:Really?

[Nidi62]

Both pilots and multiple civilians have been transported to a hospital.

Gizmodo has lots of shiny pictures and more detail.

Really Slashdot/Unknown Lamer? I've got a morbid sense of humor at times, and i'm not even saying i'm not interested in the pictures, but "lots of people are injured and some of them may die" and we've got "lots of shiny pictures" about it! seems a bit callous to me. I mean if it were actually part of some morbid joke it'd be fine, but it's not even a joke, it's just being totally insensitive for no good reason.

From the linked CNN article:

The two pilots, a police officer and three other people were treated and released at a hospital, except for one of the pilots, who was admitted, according to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital. Both pilots, who live in Virginia Beach, are 'doing well and they suffered minor injuries,"

So, hardly "lots of people", and hospitals usually don't treat and release people who "may die". I think you can lighten up a bit. You'd think it was your apartment they crashed into or something.

Re:Hmm

[Nidi62]

The average US Air Force/Navy pilot probably has more flight time as an individual than many other countries do in their whole air force. Nice try though. Also, when trying to insult America, it helps to at least use proper grammar in your insults. Otherwise we just laugh at you.

Things break, even multi million dollar equipment.

[dclozier]

I really don't think our well trained pilots would ditch into a populated area so my guess is mechanical failure. (along with gravity and the pilot struggling to keep civilians out of harms way)

6 people, pilots stopped it from being more.

[pbjones]

2 pilots that safely ejected, 1 person fainted, 1 police who was hurt while attending the scene, 2 for smoke inhaulation. It seems that the pilots knew that something was wrong and were dumping fuel before the crash. Quick thinking stopped a larger fire and the possibility of more casualties.

Grim Factoid?

[Bob9113]

FTFA:

Update 3:31 PM EDT: The Virginian-Pilot points out another grim factoid about the Navy base in question today: There have been more than 25 crashes involving Navy aircraft on or near the base over the past four decades.

That's grim? Less than one crash per year with people flying fighter jets? That seems like an outstanding safety record to me -- those things are twitchy and the pilots take them to the boundaries as a matter of proper training. Calling one crash per year "grim" strikes me as misleading and sensationalistic.

Re:Things break, even multi million dollar equipme

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

The ejector seats definitely separated from the aircraft before it hit the ground, so they must have ditched; but I get the impression that fighter jets don't give you very much "we'll just glide along for a while until we find something that looks nice and open" time once the thrust goes out so they quite likely didn't have much choice about location.

Re:Hmm

[compro01]

You can use it in a diesel engine. The US Army does. JP-8 is their everything fuel.

Re:Hmm

[Daniel Phillips]

There was also apparently a fuel dump...

I will guess that the fuel dump was intentional, a (successful) attempt to limit the severity of damage, knowing that the plane was going down.

Re:Hmm

[slimshady945]

Gravity never loses. The best you can hope for a is a draw. -- old pilot axiom

quantity and quality

[G3ckoG33k]

Don''t be silly. The US Army is superior becuase it has both quantity and quality.

No army in the EU has both quantity and quality. And even if you combine the armies in the EU (or NATO) to get quantity you lose in quality, because of coordination issues due to different languages; like the French want to have a saying in all (even if no-one cares, really). Look at Libya. There are several reasons why there where no ground troops.

Soviet, had quantity and overkill power. A bit rusty perhaps, but it worked. Russia is gradually returning. Slowly but steadily. Watch the news, monthly.

China, had 2 billion armed bicycles but have replaced them with ultra-high technology at a pace which makes them a serious contender in the near to short long run. Watch the news, weekly.

Mexico? They're disorganized when it comes to the army. But their organised crime syndicates are fucking well organised, and probably rank among the best paid suppliers to the troops. Watch the local news, daily.

So, don''t be silly. The US Army still is superior becuase it has both quantity and quality.

Re:Hmm

[dbIII]

Yes, that means conquering Australia

They've allready bought the goodwill of the largest companies, virtually purchased one political party outright via a fat idiot proxy and the fawning goodwill of the other. They have no need to conquer, if it comes down between a choice between trade partner number one and the US at number 5 (after screwing Australia over in a one sided free trade deal) it's obvious which way it's going to go.
The Chinese government would be insane to try to conquer a continent that could easily be turned into a client state without military action. Anyway, most of China's military force is directed towards controlling their own country.