THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 19, 1996 TAG: 9602190061
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: SAN DIEGO LENGTH: Short : 30 lines
An F-14 ``Tomcat'' fighter jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean during routine flight exercises off Southern California Sunday, killing the two crew members, a Navy official said.
The jet was part of Fighter Squadron 11, which was taking part in a two-week operation with the Carl Vinson, said Doug Sayers, spokesman for Miramar Naval Air Station. The crash happened about 12:30 p.m. 120 miles off the coast, he said. The circumstances were not immediately known.
The names of the dead were being withheld pending notification of relatives.
The Carl Vinson is based in Alameda, Calif. Fighter Squadron 11 is based at Miramar.
Sunday's crash was the 31st involving an F-14 jet since 1991.
The most recent military crash before Sunday's happened Jan. 29 in Nashville, Tenn. Two crew members and three people on the ground were killed.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT PLANE ACCIDENT MILITARY FATALITIES by CNB