Marine pilots treated, released following F/A-18D crash

  • Published
  • 2d Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --  The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing F/A-18 Hornet that crashed Feb. 22 near Statenville, Ga., was conducting low-altitude tactics training when the mishap occurred.  The pilot, Marine Maj. Roy Nicka, and the weapons systems officer, Marine 1st. Lt. Robert Reynolds, escaped serious injury when they ejected from the aircraft, and were treated for minor injuries at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta, Ga.  There are no reports of injuries to anyone on the ground.

The F/A-18, a fighter-attack jet, belonged to Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224 (VMFA(AW)-224), based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C. 

The mishap occurred in the Moody MOA, a military operations area, which is airspace designated for military flight operations.  The aircraft went down in wooded and swampy terrain, approximately 30 miles east of Valdosta.   

The crash site has been cordoned off by military officials.  Personnel from Moody Air Force Base's 23d Wing are providing site security while members of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing are assembled for recovery operations.

Next comes the task of recovering as much of the aircraft as possible to aid in the investigation into the cause of the mishap.  Information will be gathered from many sources, including all sources known to have any link to the mishap flight, in effort to determine the cause of the mishap, and to help our aviators avoid similar mishaps in the future.  The investigation can take many months to complete.

Anyone who witnessed the mishap flight or the crash is asked to contact the 2nd MAW public affairs office at 252-466-4241 or chpt.jpao.omb@usmc.mil to provide information.