U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet Crashes Near Rimrock Lake, Sparks Wildfire

A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet crashed Saturday on the western edge of Yakima Valley north of Rimrock Lake, prompting a wildfire and a rescue operation.

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The aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, and the pilot ejected and was recovered by a Yakima County sheriff’s deputy assigned to the mountain passes.

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Firefighters from the Naches Fire Department responded alongside a U.S. Forest Service helicopter and engine crew, and the 1200 Road system on the south side of Rimrock closed as campers were evacuated.

The Marine Corps described the incident as a "non-fatal aviation mishap" during a routine training flight, and the pilot was taken to a hospital, according to the Naches Fire Department and local officials.

The Aviationist said the pilot ejected safely and that "The cause of the mishap is currently under investigation," adding that "no additional details are available at this time."

NBC News reported the Marine Aircraft Group 11 statement described the crash around noon as a "non-fatal aviation mishap" involving one of its F/A-18 Hornet aircraft based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.

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Local coverage tied the crash to evacuations and road closures, with the Naches Fire Department reporting that the 1200 Rd system on the south side of Rimrock was closed and campers were being evacuated.

NBC News also said the fire department and the U.S. Forest Service responded to the wildfire sparked by the wreckage, and that the cause of the crash was under investigation and could take months.

Multiple outlets placed the crash near Rimrock Lake in Yakima County, Washington, about 55 miles southeast of Seattle, and described the area as part of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest response zone.

The Seattle Times said the fire covered about 2 acres and was 30% contained as of Saturday evening, while Naches Fire Department crews completed structure protection near the Bear Creek cabins and planned to return for mop-up.

The Aviationist connected the crash location to Visual Route 1355 in the Cascade Mountains and said the Pine Tree Fire had grown to two acres, citing the National Interagency Fire Center.

Yakima Herald-Republic noted that in October 2024 two U.S. Navy aviators were killed when their EA-18G Growler crashed east of Mount Rainier, underscoring that the current crash is being investigated while firefighting and restrictions continue.