One Pilot Killed, Another Injured After Ejecting

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 06.26.06 1935 EDT: The Navy has confirmed one pilot was killed, and another seriously injured, after both ejected moments after their planes collided over central California, near the town of King City.

Further details aren't yet available -- but a Fort Hunter Liggett spokesman said two parachutes were seen immediately after the accident.

The victims were members of Strike Fighter Squadron 125, also known as the "Rough Riders."

ORIGINAL REPORT

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 06.26.06 1800 EDT: It is not yet known for certain whether there were any casualties in a midair collision Monday involving two Navy F/A-18 Hornet fighters in the skies over central California.

The two jets -- based out of Lemoore Naval Air Station -- were flying a training mission when they collided, according to Navy spokesman Dennis McGrath. The fighters then impacted the ground and started a fire at Fort Hunter Liggett, a remote Army Reserve base about 150 miles south of San Francisco.

Located 30 miles southwest of Fresno, Lemoore NAS supplied all fighter jets to Navy ships operating off the West Coast. The Associated Press reports the base also serves as a training site for F/A-18s.

Monday's accident was the second this year involving fighters out of Lemoore. In January, the pilot of another F/A-18 was killed when his plane went down near El Centro, CA.

FMI: www.navy.mil