Pilot rescued after jet commonly used to train US military pilots crashes in Pacific Ocean
'If that engine stops running, you've got to put it down somewhere'
MORRO BAY, Calif. -- A pilot was rescued from the Pacific Ocean after their plane went down following engine issues off California's Central Coast on Tuesday evening.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it received a notification around 6:50 p.m. that an aircraft crashed around 6 miles northwest of Morro Bay with one person on board.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have identified the aircraft as an MK-58 Hawker Hunter, which is typically used for military training.
A spokesperson at Naval Base Ventura County in Oxnard, California confirmed the aircraft in question took off from its base Tuesday evening.
However, the spokesperson says the plane was not the Navy's, but rather it was operated by the privately owned Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, or ATAC.
Experts say the aircraft is now commonly used to train military pilots in air-to-air combat.
"This aircraft has been tried and true, but it has one limitation, and that is a single engine," said ABC News Aviation Analyst John Nance. "If that engine stops running, you've got to put it down somewhere."
According to officials, the pilot reported engine issues and ejected himself before the plane crashed into the ocean.
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Flight radar shows the plane flying toward San Luis Obispo County, when its pilot told controllers he lost thrust in the plane's engine.
ATAC confirmed that the pilot was rescued by a team from Naval Air Station Lemoore and is recovering at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno with "no significant injuries."
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Crews at the Coast Guard station in Morro Bay responded to the scene after the rescue but did not find the crashed plane or any wreckage.
Both the FAA and NTSB are investigating the crash. The NTSB is expected to release a final report within three to six months.
All mariners on the water are urged to navigate the area with caution.
Anyone who sees any debris or pollution in the water is asked to report it to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach.
