A-4 Jet crashes north of NAS Fallon

[Jason Hyatt]

The pilot is safe

N7051J - Ex-156925

By Steve Ranson
Lahontan Valley News

Firefighters from the NAS Fallon Federal Fire Department extinguish a brush fire caused by the crash of an A-4 Skyhawk (right) on Thursday.
A civilian pilot ejected safely Thursday afternoon before his A-4 Skyhawk jet from Naval Air Station Fallon crashed in an alfalfa field north of the base shortly after takeoff.

Churchill County Sheriff Rich Ingram said dispatch received the call at 1:44 p.m. Fire departments from both the base and Fallon/Churchill County arrived at the scene along with law enforcement personnel from the Nevada Highway Patrol, Churchill County and the base security. Ingram said both fire departments formed a joint incident command.

He also said no structures were damaged.

Base spokesman Zip Upham, said the jet was owned by Aircraft Tactical Advantage Co., which supports the mission at NAS Fallon. The contractor simulates enemy aircraft for Navy pilots during training exercises. Upham said the pilot was a civilian who worked for the company.

Ingram said Banner paramedics transported the pilot to Banner Churchill Community Hospital. Upham said he learned the pilot does not have life-threatening injuries. He also said no one on the ground was injured.

Two residents who live near the base saw the incident.

"I was leaving the house and saw the jet tail on fire," said Andrea Zeller. "The jet was heading back toward the base. There were two jets in front of him. The other guys were descending, but he was descending faster and lower. He started dropping."

At that time Zeller wondered what the pilot was going to do. She then saw the pilot eject from the craft.

"I then heard the putt, putt of it (the jet) and then ran back in the house and grabbed my boyfriend," she added.

Another resident who lives near the base also saw the accident.

"It came over the house. It came off the runway a couple hundred feet off the deck," said Rick Gregory. "(But) I couldn't see if he had ejected."

Since it is a civilian aircraft, Upham said the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board will be investigating the accident.

[phantomphan1974]

Glad pilot is safe and no one one the ground was hurt.  Sad to lose a Skyhawk.

[Joe Copalman]

Downright tragic to lose them if you ask me.  And yeah - very glad the pilot is safe.

[Joe Copalman]

NTSB report indicates it was actually N132AT/ex-145128, an A-4L:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20100708X82843&key=1

[Jason Hyatt]

Thanks for the update, Joe.