A pilot’s harrowing mayday call, broadcasting an urgent warning of engine failure, moments before his MK-58 Hawker Hunter jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean off California’s Central Coast, has triggered a full investigation. The pilot, flying solo in support of a U.S. Navy and Marine Corps contract near Morro Bay, ejected safely and was rescued after reporting a critical loss of thrust. Air traffic control audio revealed the pilot’s desperate “Mayday, mayday, mayday. I have lost thrust in my engine” transmission just before the aircraft went down. In response to the incident, the Navy has grounded all Hawker Hunters operated by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), the contractor providing aerial training support for the armed forces, while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) leads the probe into the dramatic ditching.
Adapted from: Travel News Today on Fox News
