A fighter jet from the United States crashed in front of shocked witnesses, erupting into flames upon impact. The military aircraft went down near Rimrock Lake, a well-liked recreational spot, sending thick black smoke rising over the surrounding forest. Spectators observed the pilot ejecting from the jet just moments before the crash.

An individual recording the incident initially confused the ejecting pilot for a parachutist and narrated the unfolding events. Naches Fire confirmed that emergency crews were dispatched to the location of a “downed military aircraft” close to the lake.

According to reports, the crash ignited a wildfire that is currently under control by helicopters and a U.S. Forest Service engine from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. A statement from Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing described the incident as a “non-fatal aviation mishap” during routine training. The involved aircraft was an F/A-18 Hornet based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California.