North America Aviation Accidents and Incidents Aviation Safety & Regulation

F/A-18 pilot injured after hitting trees during low-level training flight in Washington

A pilot ejected after the F/A-18 Hornet struck trees during a low-level training operation in Washington state, according to video released by the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office. The pilot was injured and shown bloodied after the crash, but the articles provide no further details on the aircraft or investigation.

Discovered 2026-08-18T11:49:57.744851-07:00 | 2026-08-18T11:49:57.744851-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

The crash highlights the operational risks associated with low-level military training and the importance of ejection-system performance and emergency response; the pilot survived but was injured.
It provides additional detail to the earlier account of a Marine Corps F/A-18D crash in a Washington national forest, including video of the pilot after ejection.
The incident will likely inform the safety review of the training operation, though the articles do not identify a cause or any resulting operational restrictions.

Reported By

DefenseNews.com Military Times AirForceTimes