A Navy crew rescued the pilot of a private contractor's Hawker Hunter training jet after it crashed into the Pacific Tuesday evening, six miles northwest of Morro Bay. The pilot was taken to a trauma facility, but his condition is unknown.
The pilot told an air traffic controller the engine had lost thrust, according to an audio broadcast; the controller directed him toward Paso Robles, the nearest airport, about 60 miles away. The pilot may have ejected before impact, but that was not confirmed. Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, the jet's operator, is a private contractor that supports training for U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps crews; FlightRadar24 said the aircraft was conducting exercises off Monterey and San Luis Obispo counties.
Coast Guard crews searched for wreckage but found none. A spokesperson said the jet likely had 400 to 1,000 gallons of fuel aboard; crews would check for navigation hazards or pollution. Mariners were urged to navigate cautiously and report debris or pollution. In an earlier crash near Big Sur last October, an ATAC Hunter lost engine power; the NTSB could not determine why. In 2022, another ATAC Hunter crashed off North Carolina after partial engine-power loss; an NTSB report found a failed bearing in the high-pressure fuel pump, and the pilot was seriously injured.
