Pilot Safe After Military Aircraft Crashes in Washington State, Sparks Wildfire
The pilot ejected and was taken to a hospital as local and federal crews fight the blaze and evacuate campers.
- On Saturday, June 13, 2026, a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet crashed near Rimrock Lake in Yakima County, Washington, igniting a wildfire that required multiple helicopters and firefighting agencies to suppress the blaze.
- Part of Marine Aircraft Group and Marine Aircraft Wing, the aircraft experienced a mishap during a "routine training mission." Previous military crashes near Mount Rainier in recent years preceded this incident.
- After ejecting safely, the pilot was transported to a local hospital by Naches Fire Department personnel. Crews from Naches Fire Department and the Forest Service's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest suppressed the blaze while protecting Bear Creek structures.
- Authorities evacuated campers and closed the access road on the south side of Rimrock Lake as a precautionary measure. Water tenders are expected to return Sunday morning to assist with mop-up operations.
- The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is investigating the cause of the mishap while officials advise the public to avoid the area for the foreseeable future until further notice.
39 Articles
39 Articles
A U.S. military fighter plane crashed on Saturday near Rimrock Lake causing a forest fire and camper evacuation
Pilot safe after Miramar F/A-18 Hornet crashes during training near Seattle
An F/A-18D Hornet from Miramar similar to the one that crashed in Washington state. (File photo courtesy of the Marine Corps) A Marine Corps pilot from Miramar is safe after ejecting from an F/A-18 Hornet during a training flight in Washington State on Saturday. Officials at Air Station Miramar said in a statement that the jet assigned to the 3rd Marine Air Wing “experienced a non-fatal aviation mishap” around noon during a training mission appr…
The Columbian
Fighter jet crashes east of Mount Rainier, sparking wildfire
A U.S. Marine Corps fighter jet crashed near Rimrock Lake on Saturday afternoon in Yakima County, according to the Naches Fire Department. The F/A-18 Hornet pilot safely ejected before the crash and w
Aircraft out of Miramar has 'mishap' crash near Seattle, sparks brush fire
An FA-18 Hornet aircraft out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar crashed in Rimrock, Washington, on Saturday, prompting evacuations and sending the pilot to the hospital, while the cause of the mishap is under investigation.
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