F/A-18 crashes near Lemoore Naval Air Station

The Naval Air Station Lemoore Public Affairs Office says the plane was a FA-18E Super Hornet assigned to Lemoore Naval Air Station and the cause of the crash is under investigation. The base is largely surrounded by farmland in a remote area of Kings County.

Ashliman said the airfield was temporarily shut down following the crash but was expected to resume operations Monday evening.

It happened around 4 pm north of Highway 198, west of 127th.

No people or property on the ground were hit, said CHP Officer Adam Barresi.

Passer-by Leonard Hinkle told the newspaper he saw fire crews spraying the wreckage with what seemed to be foam.

During a press conference Monday, Capt. Monty Ashliman, commanding officer of NASL, said the pilot underwent medical evaluation following the crash. The base is a center for the Navy’s West Coast FA-18 fighter jet operations. A total of 72 of the fighter jets and their pilots will be permanently based in Utah.

One pilot landed his jet at the Fallon base about 15 minutes after the collision.

According to authorities, the pilot ejected and safely parachuted to the ground.

In 2006, 1st Lt. Brian R. Deforge, 25, died in a midair collision between two F/A-18C Hornets.

The other pilot ejected safely.