SAN DIEGO, Calif. \u2014 A Navy jet that crashed into San Diego Bay within striking distance of homes, hotels, and restaurants had climbed to about 8,000 feet in the air with no one on board after its pilots ejected following a failed landing in February, Team 10 has learned.<\/p>\n
And now documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request from the recently completed investigation into the accident are shedding new light on the chaotic moments leading up to the crash of the $67 million EA-18G Growler.<\/p>\n
They reveal concerns about runway conditions, a fuel leak midair, and a warning from air traffic control that created confusion in the cockpit.<\/p>\n
According to the records, the pilot felt something was wrong with his brakes moments before the mishap.<\/p>\n
On the day of the accident, the pilot and the electronic warfare officer in the backseat had to get into a spare jet due to a fuel leak.
The crew took off from North Island and joined a tanker to refuel midair. They had a \u201cminor leak from the basket\u201d and decided to return to base rather than risking being more than 500 miles off the coast.<\/p>\n
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Capt. Brandon Viets\/Premier Sportsfishing via AP<\/p>\n
This image provided by Premier Sportsfishing shows two pilots being rescued after their E\/A-18G Growler crashed off the San Diego coast Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.<\/p>\n
As they prepared their descent, the crew was told there was water on the runway at North Island.<\/p>\n
The pilot landed but was up against tailwinds and higher-than-normal speeds. He told investigators, \u201cI knew I would have to get on the brakes a bit more.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said as he applied them, he noticed the brakes felt \u201cmushy or at least a bit different than normal.\u201d<\/p>\n
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U.S. Navy<\/p>\n
The Growler created an explosion in the water near Shelter Island after it crashed into San Diego Bay.<\/p>\n
Fearing the jet wouldn\u2019t stop in time, the pilot started a go-around maneuver. Then a tower controller warned, \u201cNot enough runway.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was said in a very concerned voice, which caused some confusion and concern,\u201d the pilot said.<\/p>\n
‘Eject! Eject! Eject!’<\/b><\/p>\n
Retired Air Force accident investigator Rich Martindell said he was surprised the air traffic controller made that warning and thought it was inappropriate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tower wasn’t in a position to really know the aircraft’s speed and what the whole situation was,\u201d he said in an interview.<\/p>\n
Martindell, who has flown the F\/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, a similar aircraft that lacks the Growler\u2019s electronic warfare gear, said the controller couldn\u2019t have known how much runway was left.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt clouded the issue and caused the crew to have more doubt about the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pilot told an investigator moments after having issues with the brakes, \u201cIt felt like the jet was not going flying and the water was approaching, so I called for ejection with \u2018EJECT, EJECT, EJECT\u2019 and then we pulled the handles,\u201d his witness statement shows.<\/p>\n
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Jack Fischetti<\/p>\n
Surveillance cameras show the jet dropping within striking distance of homes, hotels and nearby restaurants. <\/p>\n
The crew safely parachuted into San Diego Bay and were rescued by a fishing boat.<\/p>\n
The jet continued to climb to roughly 8,000 feet before dropping for over a minute and crashing into San Diego Bay near Shelter Island, the Navy investigation found.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looks like what it did is stalled. So, it got nose high, ran out of airspeed, came back around, and then the video we see of it going into the water, nose first, just all happened after the ejection,\u201d said Martindell.<\/p>\n
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Amol Brown\/Team 10<\/p>\n
Retired Air Force accident investigator Rich Martindell reviewed documentation from the Navy’s investigation Team 10 obtained after filing a freedom of information request. He was surprised an air traffic controller told the pilot he didn’t have enough runway to land.<\/p>\n
The Growler\u2019s chaotic drop from the sky was captured on a resident\u2019s doorbell and nearby surveillance cameras, which showed it nose-diving into the bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this aircraft had continued on even a second more, it could have hit Shelter Island or flown into a populated neighborhood in Point Loma \u2014 very, very close to a tragedy,\u201d retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Steve Ganyard told ABC News after the crash.<\/p>\n
Navy says human error, weather to blame<\/b><\/p>\n
After Team 10 obtained the documents, the Navy confirmed in October that it had finished the investigation into the mishap and ruled out mechanical failure.<\/p>\n
Instead, investigators determined the crash was caused by human error exacerbated by a combination of factors, including adverse weather.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aircraft was unable to safely stop on the runway due to wet runway conditions and landing with a tailwind. The investigation determined that the pilot should have instead executed maximum braking techniques,\u201d said Navy Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.<\/p>\n
The Navy spent weeks recovering debris from the water and said roughly 85% of the aircraft was recovered including significant debris.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe U.S. Navy has well-established and rigorous programs for crew resource management, adherence to training rules, professionalism and airmanship,\u201d Umayam wrote in a prepared statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the days and weeks that followed the crash, leadership across the enterprise reinforced to all crews that strict adherence to these programs is critical to safe and effective flight operations.\u201d
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Martindell still believes the air traffic controller\u2019s warning was a contributing factor in the mishap and may have altered the pilot\u2019s decision-making in the final moments before the ejection.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe may have made a different decision I’m sure that that call had some influence on his decision to call for the ejection.\u201d<\/p>\n