The US Navy confirmed Thursday that the pilot of the F/A-18E Super Hornet that crashed Wednesday in Death Valley National Park died as a result of the crash.

“The Navy has confirmed that the pilot of the F/A-18E died in the crash,” US Naval Air Forces said in a statement.

“The Navy mourns the loss of one of our own and our thoughts go out to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” the statement added.

In accordance with Department of Defense policy the name of the pilot is being withheld for 24 hours to allow for family notification.

The crash took place in Death Valley National Park at a spot known to aviation enthusiasts as Star Wars Canyon, according to park spokesman Patrick Taylor, who told CNN that seven visitors had suffered minor injuries as a result.

As a general rule, military jets are not allowed to fly over national parks, but an exception was made over this section of Death Valley when it became a national park 25 years ago. In fact, Taylor said, that particular vista is a popular place to watch military training flights.

Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, issued a statement on the crash late Wednesday.

“I ask that we all come together to help support the family, friends, and shipmates of the pilot who crashed in California today. Our thoughts are also with those reported injured on the ground,” Richardson wrote on Twitter.

The F/A-18 had been assigned to the “Vigilantes” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 151 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. </s> A single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet has crashed near Death Valley in California, and the status of the pilot is unknown, Navy officials said.

The fighter jet based at Naval Air Station Lemoore crashed on Wednesday morning between 9am and 10am local time, a Navy spokesperson said.

The plane went down near Death Valley, just north of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

A rescue team from the base and officials from the Inyo County Sheriff's Office are on the scene of the crash.

Initial reports indicated the Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet went down on the west side of Death Valley National Park, near the Father Crowley Overlook, according to KNTV.

The overlook is an area informally known as 'Star Wars Canyon,' which has been used for military training flights since the 1930s.

Military plane enthusiasts regularly gather there to watch fighter jets make training runs down the tight canyon, evocative of scenes from the Star Wars films. </s> Authorities say seven people on the ground have been injured in the crash of a Navy jet in California's Mojave Desert.

Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor says the seven were park visitors and have only minor injuries.

There's no word yet on what happened to the pilot of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, which went down during a training mission Wednesday morning.

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The crash occurred near a park area nicknamed Star Wars Canyon where fighter jets practice low-flying maneuvers and tourists often gather to watch.

The crash area is about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) north of the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake.

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The aircraft was from strike fighter squadron VFA-151 stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California's Central Valley. </s> A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet has crashed Wednesday in the California desert near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to a tweet from the U.S. Naval Air Forces. Officials said several were injured in the Death Valley National Park as a result of the incident.

The Navy also said "search-and-rescue efforts are underway." The accident occurred during a routine training exercise at 9:50 a.m. local time. There was no immediate word on the condition of the pilot.

The fighter jet was assigned to the "Vigilantes" of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-151 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, and crashed east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock.

A spokesperson for Death Valley National Park told CBS News there was a report of a plane crash near Father Crowley Vista Point and first responders from the National Park Service (NPS) said there were seven minor park visitor injuries. The extent of the injuries weren't made available. NPS added that Vista Point is a popular destination for jet gazing and has since been closed.

The base is located some 150 miles north of Los Angeles, according to its website, and is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California. The installation is the Navy's largest single landholding, representing 85% of the Navy's land for Research, Development, Acquisition, Test and Evaluation (RDAT&E) use and 38% of the Navy's land holdings worldwide. In total, its two ranges and main site cover more than 1.1 million acres, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, the website said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. </s> (AP) — The Latest on the crash of a Navy fighter jet in California (all times local):

The U.S. Navy says it has confirmed the death of the pilot in the crash of a fighter jet in the California desert.

The Navy says in a statement Thursday that the pilot’s identity will be withheld until 24 hours after notification of next of kin in accordance with Defense Department policy.

The aircraft belonged to Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-151 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California’s Central Valley.

The single-seat F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed Wednesday morning in a canyon in Death Valley National Park where military aircraft conduct low-level training.

Seven tourists on the ground were treated for minor injuries.

The Navy says the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

Crews are searching for the pilot of a Navy fighter jet that crashed and exploded in California’s Mojave Desert, injuring seven people on the ground.

Death Valley National Park spokesman Patrick Taylor said seven park visitors had minor injuries.

KABC-TV talked to tourists who said they were treated for minor burns and cuts after being hit by shrapnel.

There’s no word yet on the pilot of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, which went down during a Wednesday training mission.

The crash occurred near a park area nicknamed Star Wars Canyon, where fighter jets practice low-flying maneuvers and tourists watch.

The crash area is about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) north of the Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake.

The aircraft was from strike fighter squadron VFA-151 stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California’s Central Valley.

Associated Press reporters Christopher Weber and John Antczak also contributed to this story. </s> U.S. Military Jet Crashes In Death Valley National Park, Injuring 7 On The Ground

A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed during a training mission Wednesday in Death Valley National Park, resulting in minor injuries for seven park visitors, according to local park officials.

There is no word yet on the fate of the pilot. A search and rescue team has been dispatched.

"At approximately 10:00 a.m PST an F/A-18E crashed near @NAWS_CL. Search-and-rescue efforts are underway," according to a tweet by the Naval Air Forces. NAWS CL stands for Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. It is in the Western Mojave Desert region of California, about 150 miles north of Los Angeles.

Military jets are not supposed to fly over national parks, but an exception was made for a section of the park that has become a popular site to watch military training flights known as "Star Wars Canyon," because the maneuvers resemble scenes from the science fiction films of aircraft speeding through canyons, according to ABC 10 News in San Diego. </s> A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet jet crashed in Death Valley National Park near Father Crowley Vista Point Wednesday morning, leaving seven visitors with minor injuries. The status of the pilot remains unknown.

The crash occurred at approximately 10 a.m. near an area often referred to as Star Wars Canyon, not far from the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

For the record: A previous version of this article referred to the jet that crashed as an F/A-185E. It is an F/A-18E.

“We’re still trying to figure things out on our end,” said Navy Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock. “We have a search-and-rescue that has been dispatched out of China Lake and search-and-rescue out of Naval Station Lemoore with a medic on board.”

Search-and-rescue teams plan to continue their search for the pilot throughout the night.

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“We’re looking for an aviator out there, hoping for the best,” an official said.

While it is not common for military jets to fly low over national parks, it is a standard practice in Death Valley.

Photographers train their cameras at an F-18 fighter jet from Lemoore Naval Air Station as it dives into Rainbow Canyon. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

“It’s one of the main attractions,” said Death Valley National Park public information officer Patrick Taylor.

The Air Force and Navy have used the area for military training practices since the early 1930s.



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Most of the aircraft that pass through come from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Edwards Air Force Base, Fresno Air National Guard Base and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. International jets are also known to make flybys.

It’s unclear whether those who reported injuries were in the area to observe the jets. Taylor said the area also provides a parking lot and a restroom.

“There’s a lot of people that stop there totally unassociated with the jets,” he said.

Times staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report. </s> The Navy has confirmed the death of the pilot of the F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet, which crashed near a military installation in California. His name will not be released until notification of his next of kin.

“The Navy mourns the loss of one of our own and our thoughts go out to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” the service branch said on Twitter.

The fighter-attack aircraft crashed Wednesday morning at the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, which is located near Death Valley National Park, approximately 150 miles north of Los Angeles. A rescue operation followed, as it was unclear if the pilot had managed to eject from the plane.

to RT newsletter to get stories the mainstream media won’t tell you. </s> The Navy has confirmed the pilot of a F/A-18E Super Hornet that crashed Wednesday died in a routine training exercise. In accordance with Department of Defense policy, the identity of the pilot will be withheld until 24 hours following notification of next of kin, the Navy added.

On Wednesday, the jet went down in the California desert near Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, the U.S. Naval Air Forces said. At least seven people were injured in the Death Valley National Park at a scenic overlook where aviation enthusiasts regularly watch military pilots speeding through a chasm dubbed Star Wars Canyon, according to The Associated Press.

The accident occurred during a routine training exercise at 9:50 a.m. local time. The fighter jet was assigned to the "Vigilantes" of Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-151 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, and crashed east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Lydia Bock.

A spokesperson for Death Valley National Park told CBS News there was a report of a plane crash near Father Crowley Vista Point and first responders from the National Park Service (NPS) said there were seven minor park visitor injuries. The extent of the injuries weren't made available. NPS added that Vista Point is a popular destination for jet gazing and has since been closed.

"I just saw a black mushroom cloud go up," witness Aaron Cassell told the AP. "Typically you don't see a mushroom cloud in the desert." Cassell was working at his family's resort about 10 miles away from the crash and was first to report it to park dispatch.

AP points out the chasm earned its nickname because mineral-rich soil and red, gray and pink walls resemble the home planet of "Star Wars" character Luke Skywalker.

The base is located some 150 miles north of Los Angeles, according to its website, and is located in the Western Mojave Desert region of California. The installation is the Navy's largest single landholding, representing 85% of the Navy's land for Research, Development, Acquisition, Test and Evaluation (RDAT&E) use and 38% of the Navy's land holdings worldwide. In total, its two ranges and main site cover more than 1.1 million acres, an area larger than the state of Rhode Island, the website said.

The cause of the crash continues to be under investigation.
A United States Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet crashes in Death Valley National Park, California, leaving seven visitors on the ground with minor injuries. A search and rescue operation is underway for the pilot.