Fort Hunter Liggett (California): Two Navy fighter jets collided over a military base, killing one pilot and injuring another, authorities said.
The F18-C Hornet jets from Lemoore Naval Air Station were practicing dog fighting maneuvers on Monday when they crashed above Fort Hunter Liggett, a remote Army Reserve base 240 kilometers south of San Francisco, said Navy spokesman Dennis McGrath.
The pilots were using the airspace above Hunter Liggett's 165,000-acre (66,000-hectare) training range at the time, said Mark Hamelin, the base's site manager.
One pilot ejected and was in good condition. He was en route to Lemoore by late afternoon, Hamelin said.
The officers were members of Strike Fighter Squadron 125, also known as the ''Rough Riders.''
The cause of the crash, which sparked several small fires, is under investigation.
Lemoore supplies all the fighter jets to Navy ships off the West Coast and serves as a training site for F-18s.
Dozens of fighters rotate to and from aircraft carriers every month.
The Lemoore base is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) inland from where the crash took place.
The F18-C is a single-seat fighter jet that can reach a speed of 1,190 mph (1,915 kph).
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