A fighter pilot ejected safely from a jet before it crashed Tuesday morning near a rock formation in eastern Kern County, authorities said.
The F/A-18E Super Hornet from the Lemoore Naval Air Station crashed during a routine training flight in the Superior Valley, just south of China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, according to a statement by the Lemoore station.
The pilot was taken to a medical facility for examination, Navy officials stated. No further details on the pilot’s condition was available.
It was undetermined if there was ordinance on the plane, Kern County Supervisor Mick Gleason said.
The rock formation near where the plane crashed is called Robber’s Roost.
Officials with the Kern County Fire Department said they found the downed plane Tuesday morning in the area of Highway 178 and Highway 14 near Ridgecrest and were containing a small fire ignited by the crash.
California Highway Patrol officials in Mojave said the plane is a Navy fighter jet.
Multiple fire departments and personnel from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake were at the scene.
