What happened
During a night-time approach to Miramar NAS, an aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Interstate 15. The flight was returning to the naval air station following a standard training mission conducted in Grand Junction. The impact occurred approximately 2,400 meters before reaching runway 24R.
At the time of the accident, meteorological reports from the base at 2045LT indicated visibility of five miles, characterized by light haze or fog, with a cloud ceiling positioned at 800 feet. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were four fatalities among the crew and passengers on board.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating during night conditions with reduced visibility due to fog or haze.
- The crash occurred during the final approach phase of flight.