Pilot safely ejects before fighter jet crashes into mountain in Washington state woodlands

The pilot of a military fighter jet escaped with minor injuries after the aircraft crashed into a Washington state mountain and sparked a brush fire Saturday, authorities said.

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A Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 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.

It said the combat jet was “conducting routine training” when it went down, the pilot ejected safety and local sheriff’s officials recovered the marine.

The pilot was hospitalized following the crash near Rimrock Lake, the Naches Fire Department said. A Yakima County Sheriff’s Department mountain pass deputy made contact with the pilot after the wreck, the department said.

The fire department said it and the U.S. Forest Service responded to a wildfire sparked by the wreckage.

“Our units have completed structure protection near the Bear Creek cabins and have just cleared the scene,” the fire department said, adding that its water tender would remain on the scene and likely return Sunday “to support mop up operations of the fire.”

The cause of the crash was under investigation, which could take months, the Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said.

“To preserve the integrity of the investigation, no additional details are available at this time,” it said in its statement.

The area of the crash appears to fall within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and is roughly 125 miles southeast of Seattle.