Bodycam footage shows aftermath of Marine F/A-18 crash in Washington state

Body camera footage released by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office has revealed new detail about a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet crash near Rimrock Lake, Washington, in June. The recording, made public in mid-August 2026, shows the pilot approaching a sheriff's deputy along a roadway shortly after ejecting. His face was bloodied, and he was on the phone describing what had happened.

According to the footage, the pilot had been flying low-level training maneuvers, circling over the lake, when he clipped a treeline. He told the deputy he wasn't entirely sure of the sequence of events, describing himself as "frazzled" in the moments after impact. A witness on the phone with him could be heard joking that he needed to fly higher.

The recording runs roughly 105 minutes and also shows the deputy helping the pilot search the woods for his equipment: a helmet, vest, pack, oxygen mask, and a parachute that had caught in tree branches during the ejection. Paramedics treated the pilot at the scene for minor cuts to his face and hands before he was taken to a hospital for further evaluation.

The crash triggered a small wildfire on the mountainside. Details on its size and how it was contained were not included in the available footage or statements.

Military authorities said an investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing, though further findings have not yet been released. The pilot's identity and current condition were not detailed in the material reviewed.