Marine pilot walks away from crashed F/A-18 Hornet after ejection in Washington state

Published Aug 18, 07:52 PM UTC

Newly released bodycam footage from the Yakima County Sheriff's Office shows a bloodied U.S. Marine Corps pilot who safely ejected from an F/A-18 Hornet during a routine training exercise on June 13, 2026, in Washington state. The aircraft crashed into a mountainside near Rimrock Lake, sparking a wildfire. The pilot, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, emerged from the woods with minor lacerations and was taken to a hospital. The footage captures the pilot telling an officer he was 'very, very lucky to be alive' and that he hit trees after coming over a treeline. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.