A Malaysian F/A-18D Hornet caught fire during takeoff at Kuantan Air Base, roughly 110 miles east of Kuala Lumpur. Both the 34-year-old pilot and 28-year-old weapons system officer ejected and were later discharged from a military hospital; both are in stable condition with no serious injuries. A viral video appears to show the jet catching fire at the runway end, and photos show debris on and near the runway. The plane crashed during a routine training flight. Authorities have been instructed to conduct a thorough investigation; the cause remains unclear. Malaysia operates eight F/A-18s, in service since 1997.
A Malaysian F/A-18D Hornet caught fire on Thursday night as it was taking off, the country's air force said. Malaysia's air force, which owns eight of the US-made fighter jets, said in a statement that the aircraft had been involved in an "accident" at 9:05 p.m. local time. The statement said the take-off incident happened at Kuantan Air Base, roughly 110 miles east of the capital of Kuala Lumpur.
Both the 34-year-old pilot and 28-year-old weapons system officer ejected and were later discharged from a military hospital, the air force said in a separate statement. It's unclear what caused the mishap with the fighter jet, which entered service with Malaysia's air force in 1997.
A viral video of the take-off incident appears to show the jet catching fire in a flash of light at the end of the runway. Photos of the airfield posted by the Malaysian air force showed debris from the aircraft on and near a runway. The air force statement said the plane had crashed during a routine training flight. Malaysia encountered a separate take-off accidentinvolving one of its Hornets during an aerospace exhibition in 2019, when the aircraft's left engine caught fire.
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