Katie Bieri

The Republic | azcentral.com

A Yuma-based military jet crashed into a Southern California neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, possibly destroying three homes and sending plumes of black smoke into the air.

The AV-8B Harrier crashed into a residential area around 4:20 p.m. in Imperial, Calif., about 90 miles east of San Diego, after the pilot ejected safely, according to a press release from the Miramar Marine Corps Station in California.

Officials said there were no injuries on the ground in the crash. Three houses were heavily damaged, and five others were evacuated, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman Anton Semelroth said.

The pilot was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, according to the release. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. The Harrier jet was not armed, Semelroth said.

Witnesses described an explosion and thick plumes of smoke.

"It felt like a bomb was thrown in the backyard of the house," said Adriana Ramos, 45, whose home is less than a block from the crash scene. "The whole house moved."

Ramos fled with her 4-year-old granddaughter and 10-year-old daughter, who both cried at the sight outside.

Another witness, Jose Santos, was driving nearby and saw the plane flying "really low." Then "it just fell down," he said.

Santos sped toward the crash site. On the way, he saw the pilot who had parachuted to the ground.

"He didn't look like he was injured. He was rolling from side to side," and a police officer and others were helping him, Santos said.

At the crash site, there was chaos as people ran in every direction, he said. The two homes were on fire and it was unclear if anyone was inside.

This was the second crash in a month of a Harrier jet from the Yuma air base. On May 9, a pilot was able to eject safely before his jet crashed in a remote desert area near the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona, south of Phoenix. No one was injured.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.



