Navy jet crash a ‘Good Friday miracle’ — but how? (video)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A 12-ton Navy jet loaded with tons of jet fuel crashes in a spectacular fireball into a big apartment complex, scattering plane parts and wiping out some 40 units. How is it that everyone survived?

The mayor of Virginia Beach could only call it a “Good Friday miracle” and pilots marveled at how a failed training flight that engulfed buildings in flames managed to crash without killing anyone. The student pilot, his instructor and five on the ground were hurt, but all were out of the hospital by Saturday.

Investigators, witnesses and experts said multiple factors were at play:

• Most of the F/A-18D jet’s fuel was dumped before the crash, causing less of an explosion.

• The Navy credited neighbors and citizens with pulling pilots away from the flames after they safely ejected.

• The plane crashed into the apartment complex’s empty courtyard, and two days before Easter in the middle of the day, most residents weren’t home.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“At the end of the day,” said Daniel O. Rose, a former Navy jet pilot, “I think it was a lot of fortuity. You look at this as a one-off and you still got to scratch your head.”

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms took to Twitter on Saturday to celebrate the fact no lives were lost, calling it a “Good Friday miracle.” Adm. John C. Harvey, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, said he was “quite surprised, to be honest”, that no one had died, calling it an “amazing miracle.”

The F/A-18D Hornet suffered some sort of massive mechanical problem while soaring above Virginia Beach on Friday, sending it plunging into the Mayfair Mews apartment complex and taking out dozens of units. All residents had been accounted for early Saturday after careful apartment checks, fire department Capt. Tim Riley said.

Investigators will work from the outside of the site toward the center to gather parts from the jet and examine them, as well as check out the flight data recorders, which had not yet been recovered, Harvey said. The investigation could take weeks, he said.

Wearing protective white suits and yellow boots, investigators walked through the site Saturday, where blackened facades and partially demolished brick walls jutted out from the debris.

The airmen were from Naval Air Station Oceana, less than 10 miles away. They were able to safely escape the aircraft, which weighs up to 50,000 pounds fully fueled and armed, before it careened into the apartment complex, demolishing sections of some buildings and engulfing others in flames.

Jeff Swoope, who spent the night in a hotel with about two dozen other homeless residents, had just pulled out of his parking space to run errands when he noticed the low-flying jet heading right at his building.

“I thought I’d better get out of there quick,” he said. “It could have hit a gas line, there could have been a bigger explosion.”

The aviators on board the F/A-18 Hornet had careful training — even the student would have had 1 ½ years of intensive training before taking flight with his instructor on Friday, said J.F. Joseph, a former airline pilot, retired Marine colonel and decorated Navy pilot who flew with the daredevil Blue Angels.

They likely did everything they could to mitigate damage on the ground; one pilot apparently waited until the last second to eject because he was found still strapped to his seat, Joseph said. But maneuvering would have been extremely difficult.

The jet likely was carrying thousands of pounds of fuel on board, which authorities said apparently had been dumped before impact. Fuel was found on cars and homes in the area, though it wasn’t clear if that was an intentional move by the pilots or the result of mechanical problems like a ruptured fuel line. The fuel ignites and burns very quickly and could have sparked an even more massive fireball had it not been dumped.

Once emergency officials learned of the crash, they already had practice for what to do next. The military and city cooperate closely to prepare for hypothetical disasters, including simulated crashes, said Virginia Beach spokesman Marc Davis.

The Navy also maps out areas where crashes could occur to make sure residential growth is limited there; the Mayfair Mews complex was in an area where future growth is limited. City and state officials also have spent millions in recent years to buy land where military planes would be most likely to crash.

Rose, the former pilot who is now an aviation attorney, said the fact no one was killed on the ground was “about as close as you can get to a miracle.” He called a military crash like this one extremely rare — a fighter jet crash in 2008 after a training exercise in a San Diego neighborhood killed four family members — but said a confluence of fortuitous circumstances were behind it.

Local officials were reluctant to express relief, after dozens of people lost their homes.

While many people weren’t home in the destroyed apartments, others nearby were going about their day and could only wonder how they avoided such a close call. The plane somehow missed them, in one case by no more than the length of a football field.

Fourteen-year-old Taylor Saladyga was relaxing at home by herself, enjoying spring break, when she heard a blast. The girl lives only about 100 yards from the apartment complex. Her aunt had been driving home at the time and called Saladyga to look up at the billowing smoke.

“I was terrified,” Saladyga said. “I thought it was terrorists at first.”

Travis Kesler, a special education teacher at a city middle school near the crash, said he thought he was watching a disaster movie when he saw the plumes of black smoke and flames in the air. “Flames coming out of the backside of the building, the roof on fire. It was just insane,” he said.

A day later, he said the disaster could have been far worse.

“There are so many apartment complexes through here, there are so many people that live there. people are walking up and down the street all the time, riding bikes,” he said. “It’s crazy that nobody passed away.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Aaron Weinstock uses an x-ray machine toy inside the Imagine Children Museum on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Imagine Children’s Museum $250k grant reinstated following federal court order

The federal grant supports a program that brings free science lessons to children throughout rural Snohomish County.

Snohomish County 911 Executive Director Kurt Mills talks about the improvements made in the new call center space during a tour of the building on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New 911 center in Everett built to survive disaster

The $67.5 million facility brings all emergency staff under one roof with seismic upgrades, wellness features and space to expand.

Everett
Five arrested in connection with Everett toddler’s 2024 overdose death

More than a year after 13-month-old died, Everett police make arrests in overdose case.

Madison Family Shelter Family Support Specialist Dan Blizard talks about one of the pallet homes on Monday, May 19, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Madison Family Shelter reopens after hiatus

The Pallet shelter village, formerly Faith Family Village, provides housing for up to eight families for 90 days.

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Everett Historic Theater owner Curtis Shriner inside the theater on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Historic Everett Theatre sale on horizon, future uncertain

With expected new ownership, events for July and August will be canceled. The schedule for the fall and beyond is unclear.

Everett
Man stabbed in face outside Everett IHOP, may lose eye

Police say the suspect fled in the victim’s car, leading officers on a 6-mile chase before his arrest.

People swim in the Yost Pool during Open Fitness and Lap Swim on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Feeling the heat in Snohomish County: How hot will it get where you live?

Everett is expected to hit low 80s with inland areas reaching near 90.

The Mukilteo Boulevard Homer on Monday, May 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Homer Hedge’: A Simpsons meme takes root in Everett — D’oh!

Homer has been lurking in the bushes on West Mukilteo Boulevard since 2023. Stop by for a selfie.

Pat Cronin and Jamie Lyon look over a zoning district map draft of Everett on display during an Everett Planning Department open house at Everett Station on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett to release final draft of comp plan

The city will release the draft of the planning document on May 30, staff said. It will likely go to a vote before the council in June.

Traffic moves across the US 2 trestle between Everett and Lake Stevens on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Washington climate goals jeopardized by U.S. Senate vote

The U.S. Senate revoked waivers allowing Washington to mandate strict vehicle emission standards

The Everett City Council on Wednesday, April 16, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett City Council approves apprenticeship ordinance

The new ordinance builds upon state law, requiring many city public works contracts to use at least 15% apprentice labor.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.