ORANGE GROVE, Texas — The Naval Safety Center is investigating a crash in Jim Wells County Wednesday afternoon.
The crash — happening around 2 p.m. — involved a student and instructor who were flying in a T-45 Goshawk jet trainer. The two were safely ejected from the aircraft and reported only minor injuries, a spokeperson for the Chief of Naval Air Training said.
The crash occurred along near the 1600 block of County Road 308 — a rural area about 7 miles southwest of Orange Grove's city center.
Debris from the crash was scattered along the road and into private property. A brush fire was also ignited from the crash, but was extinguished by area firefighters.
Orange Grove resident Jennifer Green said the two pilots landed on the road — one of their parachutes ended up getting caught on a fence.
Chief of Naval Air Training Public Affairs Officer Lt. Michelle Tucker said the jet was coming out of NAS Kingsville.
“It was a normal area (where) the aircraft would operate and our students routinely fly there," Tucker said. "Its a naval outlying field so it’s one of our main training areas for the T-45.”
There is no timetable to the investigation, but Tucker said the Chief of Naval Air Training is grateful there were no serious injuries.
“Anytime something like this happens — we’re very thankful that (everyone) walked away from the scene,” she said. “We’re very thankful for our local — I believe it was Orange Grove Volunteer Fire Department that came out to help extinguish the fire — and we’re very thankful for that community support we received today.”
