F/A‑18A Hornet

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22nd June 1993

During ACM Major Rich's F/A-18 Hornet suffered a dual engine failure. Unable to get engines restarted Bill Rich ejected at 1,000 feet AGL.
The crashed jet sent a fireball into the air which engulfed the parachute and vaporized the fabric.  The pilot fell to his death

Crashed KofA ["King of Arizona"*] Game Refuge, Yuma, AZ, USA 

*
This was the name of a mine that operated in the area, before it was bought out by the government for the wildlife refuge.
 

                                           photo via John Rich

Major William Rich