A Boeing [BA] F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed near Trona, Calif., on June 3, which killed the pilot, the Navy said last Friday.
The aircraft was based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, Calif. No civilians were harmed in the crash, which was in a remote and unpopulated area. The Navy uses ranges in the China Lake and nearby Death Valley area for pilot training.
On June 5 the Navy identified the pilot as Lt. Richard Bullock, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113, based at NAS Lamoore. The service said he was flying a routine training mission before the aircraft crashed.
The Navy said the incident is under investigation.
Previously, last October a Super Hornet crashed in a remote area of Death Valley National Park, but that pilot survived with minor injuries (Defense Daily, Oct. 8, 2021).