Pilot Successfully Rescued After Crash Miles Off the Morro Bay Coastline Tuesday Night
MORRO BAY, Calif. (KEYT) – On Tuesday evening, U.S. Coast Guard and Naval personnel were dispatched to a downed pilot in the waters off of Morro Bay.
According to the company that operates the downed aircraft, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, the pilot is in "good condition" after ejecting and even spoke with coworkers while recuperating this week.
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach shared that watch-standers were notified of a downed aircraft around six miles northwest of Morro Bay with one pilot in the water Tuesday evening.
Terminal Radar Approach at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport confirmed the downed pilot was rescued from the waters by members of the United State Navy shared the U.S. Coast Guard.
According to Naval Air Station Lemoore, their aircrew was on a return flight when they were dispatched to rescue the downed pilot and used a rescue swimmer to secure the man to a hoist system.
The pilot was retrieved from the water by a Navy Search and Rescue helicopter after ejecting and he was then transported to the Fresno area for further medical treatment confirmed Airborne Tactical Advantage Company to Your News Channel.
According to communications from the aircraft preserved by Flight Radar 24, the pilot reportedly lost thrust from his engine and called in a mayday signal before ejecting and entering the water.
Local airport personnel attempted to direct the doomed plane to Paso Robles Airport during the incident, but to no avail revealed the flight communications.
Personnel from Coast Guard Station Morro Bay responded to the scene of the crash, but did not locate any wreckage from the crash nor oil sheen explained the U.S. Coast Guard to Your News Channel Wednesday morning.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the aircraft was a fixed-wing, single-engine Mk-58 Hawker Hunter fighter aircraft registered to Hunter Aviation International Inc. out of Newark, Delaware.
Hunter Aviation confirmed to Your News Channel Wednesday that the aircraft is registered with their company, but is operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company out of Newport News, Virginia.
Your News Channel contacted the company and learned that the aircraft is one of over 20 Mk-58 Hawker Hunters operated by the company around the world and this particular aircraft was based out of the Point Mugu portion of Naval Base Ventura County.
The mission was part of Airborne Tactical Advantage Company's existing contract with the U.S. Navy and the incident is now subject to a joint investigation by the Navy and the National Transportation Safety Board.
All maritime traffic in the area is asked to navigate the area with caution and report any debris or pollution they spot in the area to U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach at 1-206-815-6689.
