Hunter down

[tartare]

That'd be Hawker Hunter I think...
Photo of crash site here:
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Aircraft-Reported-Down-in-Point-Magu-Area-280863422.html
Is that an engine to the right of the main debris field?


(CNN) -- A military contractor's plane crashed Wednesday upon approach to a Navy air base in Southern California, killing the sole person aboard.
The aircraft, operated by the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, went down as it was nearing Naval Base Ventura County in Oxnard, about halfway between the coastal cities of Santa Barbara and Santa Monica.
Capt. Mike Lindberry, a spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department, tweeted it's not known whether the Hunter Hawker aircraft's pilot "ejected or if chute was part of (the) debris field."
ATAC flies small jets used in exercises at the Navy base, according to base spokeswoman Kimberly Gearhart. She said that the contractor leases space on the base.
Naval Base Ventura County was established in 2000, combining two World War II-era locales in Naval Air Station Point Mugu and Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme. It's now home to more than 80 military commands, according to the base's website.

[BBadanov]

I was at Pt Mugu three years ago. There were 3 Hunters on the flight line.

[sharpend]

According to the TV it was a Hunter Hawk! Whatever, RIP the pilot. Sad to hear.

[Bevo]

Here is a link to the company's web site which list the aircraft they fly:

ATAC - Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (http://www.atacusa.com/)

[barit1]

Per KNBC news:
The Hawker Hunter MK-58 came down about 5 p.m. (PDT) just off Highway 1 and Hueneme Road, said Allen Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Video shows copious black smoke, I'm guessing plenty of fuel.

Condolences to his family and friends and colleagues.

[BBadanov]

The owner is also the president and director of maintenance. He is known for not employing any ex-military mechanics. His business model apparently revolves mostly around hiring mechanics with little to no formal education, training or experience, instead providing apprenticeships at his company.

Wow! This is a damning indictment of the maintenance philosophy and safety standards that are evidently practised (or not) at ATAC / Lortie.

Maintenance personnel with no experience on these types of jets and taken on as "apprentices" is probably some tax dodge for Lortie, in addition to the lower wages of course. The pilots flying these jets must have some trepidation with such maintenance standards, and the track record of disasters chronicled above by Farley. Also by not having ex-military troops maintaining the jets cuts out any experienced voices speaking up against the shoddy standards.