FA-18D Jet Crash Virginia Beach, VA April 6, 2012.

FA-18D Jet Crash ∙ Virginia Beach, VA ∙ April 6, 2012


• Oceana Naval Air Station located on 5,916 acres within the City of Virginia Beach• 290,000 take-offs and landings per year• 6,000,000 take-offs and landings since last off-site mishap• FA-18/D carrying one student pilot and one instructor pilot


• F-18-D, 56 feet long, Wingspan 40 feet, Weight 37,000 pounds• Flight Lasted 97 Seconds• Carried 11,000 pounds of JP-5 / 1,617 gallons • FA-18/D carrying one student pilot and one instructor pilot• No Ammunition on Board• They were going on a training flight, 120 miles off the coast


• “Loud explosion…Navy airplane hit apartment building…saw the pilot come out…cannot see injuries at this time”

• “Saw parachute in the area and then something exploded in the area of Birdneck Road near Marabou”

• “Adult male said he wanted to let us know Birdneck Village is on fire and we might need some fire trucks”

• “Complainant said the pilot landed on her patio…he is still out there…is conscious…her neighbors are out there helping him, she was told to evacuate but says he’s still on her patio”

12:06:32


Result: • Plumes of black smoke filled the air• A Navy FA-18D jet lie burning on the

ground• Apartment buildings were burning• 7 People injured, 4 transported (BLS)

Sunny, 50s, Winds NNE at 11 gusting to 32

Witness statements are many and varied:



Mayfair Mews Apartment Complex


Front EntranceMayfair MewsApril 6, 2012

Front Entrance Mayfair Mews

2010


12:09:44 – First Fire Unit Arrives On Scene

Units on Scene Included:11 Engines

6 Ladder Trucks2 Fire Squads

1 Navy Crash Truck5 Ambulances

3 Zone Cars

Mutual Aid Assist From the Cities of:

NorfolkChesapeakePortsmouth


12:35:04 – 1st Pilot Located12:36:54

“Firefighter iswith 2nd Pilot”


Division A


Tail SectionIn CourtyardView from

Side B


24th Street Division / B-Side of complex


14:31:59 “Per Birdneck Command…Primary complete in areas they can enter… FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL.”


Graphic courtesy of The Virginian Pilot



Unified Command


Facilities Provided for Extended Operations

FEMA USAR CacheVirginia Task Force 2


Foam Application to Reduce Airborne

Contaminants


Bowling-Alley Wax Application

Sealing Carbon Fibers


Decon Support• Jet Fuel• Carbon Fibers


Aftermath• Investigation• Remediation


Family Assistance• 8 Pets Reunited• Medications/Wallets/IDs• Family Heirlooms Reunited• All Families Assigned a FF & Navy Chaplin


• EPA Continually Monitored Air Quality• Storm-Water Drains Inspected with Camera• Soil Testing Performed• Contaminated Soil Removed• New Soil Brought In

• Remaining Residences Dusted/HEPA Vacuumed• Individual Apartments Swab Tested• Refrigerators Emptied• HVAC Systems Tested for Particulates and Cleaned


Strengths: • Cooperative training between the

Military and the VBFD•Off-Site Training – April 2010 & December 2011• All Hands Training February 2012


Strengths:

• Extensive Training in Command Management and Suppression Activities

• Early Development of Section Chiefs, Divisions and Groups

• Level-Headed Decision Making by Company Officers to Overcome Obstacles


Strengths:

• Early Unified Command

• Rapid Arrival of Resources

• Effective, Efficient Communication of Direction and Orders

• Exemplary Radio Discipline by Fire Department Personnel


Estimated Water Flow:7,000 gallons per minute

Apparatus Flow Rates:• E-11 – 900 gpm• L-08 – 1,900 gpm• L-11 – 1,000 gpm• L-16 – 1,000 gpm• E-16 – 300 gpm• L-09 – 1,000 gpm • E-12 – 300 gpm (hand lines and supplying L09)

Secondary Water Sources:• Bluebird/Birdneck – 1,000 gpm• Chinquapin/Birdneck – 1,000 gpm• Waterfront Dr – 1,000 gpm

If Fire Moved South or East• 23rd/C Ave – 1,000 gpm• B St – 1,000 gpm


Fire Police EMS Sheriff Animal Control City Manager’s Office Mayor’s Office Emergency Management Human Services Public Works Public Utilities Preservation and Code Enforcement

Planning Permits Risk Management Occupational Health and Safety Commissioner of the Revenue

Schools ComIT VBTV City Garage ECCS 911/311 Housing

Virginia Beach City Agencies:


Virginia State and Federal Agencies:

Governor’s OfficeState Police DMV and Vital Records State Office of Homeland Security Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Health Department Medical Examiner’s Office Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) State and Federal Senators and Congressmen US Navy, CNO, Fleet Forces, AIRLANT, numerous Commands Navy JAG and NCIS


Areas for Improvement:

• Personnel Issues: Maintaining Crew Integrity • Scene Concerns: Police Blocking Hydrants;

Congestion Due to Personal and Emergency Vehicles• Equipment Concerns: Interoperability of Radios; Cell

and Landline Phones; Ready-Reserve Fleet Equipment• Dispatch Concerns: Alarms Not Correctly Filled• Safety Concerns: Decon, Personnel Not Following

PPE Orders; Unsafe Buildings; Establishment of RIT


34 Days Later• 920 Tons of Construction

Debris Removed• 659 Tons Concrete Recycled • 1,090 Tons of Contaminated

Soil Removed (70 dump-trucks)

• Utilities Restored• EPA Ruled Contaminate

Free• Residents Returned May 10


Questions?

FA-18D Jet Crash Virginia Beach, VA April 6, 2012.

Documents

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