U.S. Navy pilot safely ejects after crashing a Super Hornet fighter jet in central California during a 'routine training flight'
A U.S. Navy pilot has safely ejected from their fighter jet that crashed in central California on Tuesday, according to Navy sources.
The F/A-18E Super Hornet had flown from Naval Air Station Lemoore in Kings County when it crashed, ABC News reports.
Naval Air Station Lemoore shared on Facebook that the mishap occurred during a routine training flight in the Superior Valley, just south of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
Scroll down for video
The F/A-18E Super Hornet had flown from Naval Air Station Lemoore when it crashed during a 'routine training flight' on Tuesday
Aircraft crashed just south of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, according to NAS Lemoore's Facebook page
The Navy has confirmed that the pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and has been taken to a local medical facility for examination.
'The U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities. More information will be released as it becomes available,' they added in the statement.
NAWS China Lake also took to the social media platform to share that they were aware of the aircraft having crashed.
A map showing the crash when it occurred
A stock of the Super Hornet fighter jet, the aircraft that crashed
'Emergency personnel are on scene,' they said in the Tuesday afternoon post. 'As a respect to associated family members please keep all comments off social media.'
According to Mick Gleason, Kern County's 1st District Supervisor, the aircraft crashed near Robbers Roost rock formation in east Kern County.
A small grass fire did develop as a result of the crash, KGET reports.
Twitter user @Barkflights posted a tweet saying that the pilot 'told FD that munitions were onboard.'