Beaufort pilot safe: ‘Anytime you eject, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable’

A Beaufort Marine pilot is safe after ejecting when his fighter jet crashed and burned during a training exercise in the California desert Tuesday night.

The pilot ejected after his F/A 18 Hornet touched down at the end of a flight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Marine spokesman Lt. John Roberts said. The plane was on fire and later extinguished.

The pilot was from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251, part of Marine Aircraft Group 31, and assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. He was treated as a precaution at a California hospital and is in good condition, a Marine Corps news release said.

His identity has not been released, and MCAS Beaufort spokesman Clay Groover declined to name the pilot Wednesday.

“Anytime you eject, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable,” Groover said. “But he’s fine.”

The cause of the crash is under investigation. That investigation could take weeks, Groover said.

After a crash like the one Tuesday, an investigation board is formed and headed by a high-ranking officer, per Marine Corps protocol. The board has 30 days to submit its report but could request more time.

The squadron is on the West Coast for mandatory training. The Hornet was participating in an integrated training exercise, which involves air and ground forces working together in “difficult, realistic conditions,” a news release said.

Mountainous, desert terrain at the base allows Marines to train in conditions they might face while deployed.

About 30 aircraft participated in the exercise, including the jets, helicopters, transport planes and tiltrotor Ospreys. The aviation units are pausing operations 24 hours after the incident.

The crash happened at about 6 p.m. The aircraft burned and the jet was a total loss in what is known by the Marine Corps as a Class A mishap.

Hornets have been involved in other incidents this year.

In July, another Hornet went down during a training mission at the base, killing the pilot.

Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss died in June when his Blue Angels F/A 18C Hornet crashed during practice for an air show in Tennessee.

In August, an F/A-18D made an emergency landing after a warning light alerted the pilot to a possible fire. The problem was traced to a seal failure that tripped on-board sensors.

The Marine Corps Times reported this year that the Marine Corps’ number of operational aircraft has dropped in recent years, pilots have flown fewer hours than needed and that the Marines have had trouble finding parts for necessary repairs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This story was originally published October 26, 2016 at 4:21 PM with the headline "Beaufort pilot safe: ‘Anytime you eject, it’s going to be a little uncomfortable’."