(LAKE WORTH, Texas) — Three homes have been damaged after a military training aircraft crashed in Lake Worth, Texas, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
The Navy T-45C Goshawk jet trainer aircraft crashed in the backyard of one of the homes, and the debris damaged the nearby structures, Lake Worth Fire Chief Ryan Arthur told reporters at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
A military flight student and an instructor pilot were apparently conducting a drill training exercise at the time of the crash, Arthur said. The pilots were on a routine training flight out of Corpus Christi International Airport before the incident, according to a statement from the chief of naval air training. The aircraft is assigned to the training wing of the Naval Air Station in Kingsville, Texas
One of the pilot’s parachutes got caught in a power line after he was ejected from the plane, he said. The other was found in a neighborhood nearby, Arthur said.
Both pilots are being treated at the hospital, Arthur said. The instructor is in stable condition, and the student naval aviator was reported to be in serious condition, but his injuries were not life threatening, according to the military.
A small fire resulted from the crash, Arthur said. Three residents of the damaged homes sustained minor injuries and were treated on the scene, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
“We are incredibly fortunate that the plane crashed in the backyard of the homes and not the residences themselves,” a statement from the Fort Worth Fire Department read.
More than 40 homes in the area surrounding the crash are experiencing power outages, according to officials.
Residents were advised to stay out of the area due to the hazardous material that needs to be cleared. Cleanup crews have been advised by the military that the ejection seats could contain unexploded ordnances.
The Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities, the chief of Naval Air Training said, adding, “We are extremely thankful for the support from Lake Worth and Fort Worth Fire Departments, Lake Worth Police, Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, and other community partners who responded to the scene.”
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