Pilot killed in US Navy fighter jet crash in California desert

Los Angeles, June 7

A US Navy fighter jet crashed in the Southern California desert, killing the pilot, authorities confirmed Sunday night.

According to a press release from the US Navy, pilot Lt. Richard Bullock, who was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 based at the Naval Air Station Lemoore of California, was killed when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed in the vicinity of Trona, about 260 km north of Los Angeles downtown, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Friday local time.

Bullock was flying a routine training mission at the time before his aircraft went down in a remote, unpopulated area, the Navy said, adding no civilians were harmed as a result of this incident, which was under investigation and the scene of the crash had been secured by Navy and local authorities.