Bodycam footage released by the Yakima County Sheriff's Office shows Marine Corps Maj. Jackson Simon appearing remarkably composed after ejecting from an F-18 Hornet that crashed into a mountainside near Rimrock Lake, Washington. The pilot sustained facial lacerations in the June 13, 2026 incident.
"I'm a little frazzled," Simon told a deputy wearing a body camera, despite the blood visible on his face. The newly released footage captures the moments after the pilot ejected from the aircraft before it impacted a mountainside, sending flames and a thick plume of black smoke into the air.
Simon was seen walking toward the deputy with a phone in hand, speaking calmly about the crash. When asked about the aircraft, he identified it as an F-18. He told deputies the jet was conducting low-level training over the lake when "something went wrong."
"We were doing some circles over the lake. I tucked in, and I'm not sure exactly. Honestly, I'm a little frazzled," Simon recounted. He also acknowledged experiencing adrenaline after the crash, telling a bystander who noted he was "shaking" that "I have some adrenaline going."
In a conversation captured on the bodycam, Simon matter-of-factly informed someone, "Hey, buddy, this is Major Simon, I just crashed." Later, he remarked to an officer, "Without exaggeration: That's about as close as you come."
The Sheriff's Office incident report stated that deputies found Simon on a hillside removing his flight harness and gathering his gear. He then slid down to meet a deputy who conducted a "buddy check" for injuries.
Witnesses reported seeing the military aircraft circling the area before the crash. Multiple 911 calls were made after observers saw the pilot eject and the jet descend into the mountainside, igniting a fire. The first report of the incident was logged at 12:18 p.m. local time.
The F-18 was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The aircraft was conducting routine training approximately 55 miles southeast of Seattle when the non-fatal aviation mishap occurred around noon Pacific time. The destroyed aircraft was valued at approximately $67 million.
The Marine Corps has stated that the cause of the crash is under investigation. Investigations into military aviation mishaps can take several months to complete, and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is withholding further details during the ongoing inquiry.