A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 similar to this one crashed Saturday in rugged terrain east of Fallon. This aircraft was patrolling the skies over the Nevada Test and Training Range in June 2010.
The name of a military pilot who was killed over the weekend in a crash about 140 miles east of Fallon is still waiting release by his command, said a Navy spokesperson on Tuesday.
The LVN learned the command has its headquarters in Okinawa.
Lt. Reagan Lauritzen, assistant public affairs officer with the Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet in San Diego, said the pilot, who was training at Naval Strike and Warfare Center (Naval Air Station Fallon), died Saturday when his jet crashed on a training flight over the rugged Nevada terrain. A debris field was found within the training area.
Because search crews could not reach the aircraft until Sunday, Lauritzen said the military procedure to notify the next of kin was implemented later that day. The military has notified the family, but she said the pilot’s command will release additional information.
According to Lauritzen, the pilot was flying a U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18C, but it was on loan to the NSAWC for use as a training aircraft. The jet had been conducting a training flight on the U.S. Navy Range Training Complex when it reportedly crashed at 3 p.m.
“Initial reports from the scene indicate the aircraft is a total loss,” Lauritzen added.
Search crews discovered the F/A-18c near the Monitor Mountain Range in Lander County, an area noted for its beauty but also known for its majestic jagged mountain peaks that rise above the valley floor. The Navy also received assistance from the Lander County Search and Rescue.