1 month ago
Former TOPGUN pilot Matthew "Whiz" Buckley told Fox News Digital that the recent crash of a Marine Corps F-18 in Washington state — and the pilot's split-second decision to eject — highlights both the violence of the maneuver and how the ensuing shock can leave an aviator feeling eerily calm.
On June 13, 2026, Marine Corps Maj. Jackson Simon emerged from a wooded area with a bloodied face and walked down the road toward a Yakima County sheriff's deputy, whose bodycam captured the pilot appearing remarkably composed.
"I'm a little frazzled," was about as close as Simon came to expressing fear after his F-18 Hornet crashed into the forest and sparked a small wildfire near Rimrock Lake.
Buckley, who flew F-18 Hornets during his 15-year career in the U.S. Navy, said Simon was likely experiencing a combination of shock, an adrenaline letdown and the effects of training that teaches pilots to compartmentalize under pressure.
Eight Believed Dead After B-52 Crashes Shortly After Takeoff From Edwards Air Force Base
#corps
On June 13, 2026, Marine Corps Maj. Jackson Simon emerged from a wooded area with a bloodied face and walked down the road toward a Yakima County sheriff's deputy, whose bodycam captured the pilot appearing remarkably composed.
"I'm a little frazzled," was about as close as Simon came to expressing fear after his F-18 Hornet crashed into the forest and sparked a small wildfire near Rimrock Lake.
Buckley, who flew F-18 Hornets during his 15-year career in the U.S. Navy, said Simon was likely experiencing a combination of shock, an adrenaline letdown and the effects of training that teaches pilots to compartmentalize under pressure.
Eight Believed Dead After B-52 Crashes Shortly After Takeoff From Edwards Air Force Base
#corps
2 months ago
Dramatic new footage shows the moment local authorities encountered a pilot who had ejected from a fighter jet before it crashed into a mountainside in Washington state earlier this summer.
The F/A-18 Hornet aircraft slammed into a mountainside on June 13, in the area of Rimrock Lake, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, sending a plume of black smoke into the air and igniting a wildfire.
The pilot ****** igned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in Miramar, California, is seen with his face bloodied and appearing a little shaken up in the body camera footage released Friday by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office.
Yakima County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: A still photo from body camera footage released by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 14, 2026, shows the moments local authorities encountered a pilot who had ejected from a military jet before it crashed in June.
Army temporarily grounds all Apache helicopter flights after fatal crash
#yakima
The F/A-18 Hornet aircraft slammed into a mountainside on June 13, in the area of Rimrock Lake, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, sending a plume of black smoke into the air and igniting a wildfire.
The pilot ****** igned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in Miramar, California, is seen with his face bloodied and appearing a little shaken up in the body camera footage released Friday by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office.
Yakima County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: A still photo from body camera footage released by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 14, 2026, shows the moments local authorities encountered a pilot who had ejected from a military jet before it crashed in June.
Army temporarily grounds all Apache helicopter flights after fatal crash
#yakima
3 months ago
Vote now for The News Tribune’s high school girls team of the year across all seasons from the 2025-26 school year. Voting will remain open until noon Monday.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
Note: If you are not seeing the poll at the bottom of the story, try opening the story in a different browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Votes emailed will not be counted.
Annie Wright basketball — Gators (21-7) took home the fourth-place trophy at the Class 1A state tournament last winter and knocked off rival Bellevue Christian four times, handing the Vikings their first losses to a 1A Nisqually opponent since 2022. Senior guard Aaliyeh Martin and sophomore guard Camille Bates combined for 712 points entering the state bracket at the Yakima Valley SunDome (March 4-7).
Bellarmine Prep tennis — Lions trio (Anya Moravek, Chloe Lee, Rose Jackson) secured a runner-up finish at the Class 4A state tournament from May 22-23 in Vancouver.
The poll is located below. You can read about all of the candidates and their accomplishments below.
Note: If you are not seeing the poll at the bottom of the story, try opening the story in a different browser, such as Chrome or Safari. Votes emailed will not be counted.
Annie Wright basketball — Gators (21-7) took home the fourth-place trophy at the Class 1A state tournament last winter and knocked off rival Bellevue Christian four times, handing the Vikings their first losses to a 1A Nisqually opponent since 2022. Senior guard Aaliyeh Martin and sophomore guard Camille Bates combined for 712 points entering the state bracket at the Yakima Valley SunDome (March 4-7).
Bellarmine Prep tennis — Lions trio (Anya Moravek, Chloe Lee, Rose Jackson) secured a runner-up finish at the Class 4A state tournament from May 22-23 in Vancouver.
