Lake City pilot killed in California spy plane crash
By News4Jax.com Staff
September 21, 2016
LAKE CITY, Fla. - The pilot who died Tuesday after ejecting from a U.S. Air Force U-2 spy plane that crashed into a mountain in Northern California was a 20-year veteran who grew up in Lake City.
According to his family, Lt. Col. Ira Stephen Eadie had been stationed in California for the past six years. Before joining the Air Force, he was in the Navy and flew P-3 patrol aircraft out of NAS Jacksonville.
A co-pilot who also ejected has survived.
Eadie (pictured below) leaves behind a wife and six children, ranging in age from 6 to 25 years old.
Eadie's father told News4Jax that the couple met in Lake City and they were excellent parents devoted to family. He asked the community for prayer.
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Marine Corps Harrier jet crashes off Wrightsville Beach
StarNews Staff
Published: Friday, May 6, 2016
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH -- A Marine Corps Harrier jet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean late Friday afternoon, prompting an ocean rescue of its pilot.
Town Manager Tim Owens confirmed the crash, saying the plane ended up in the water about a mile-and-a-half offshore.
A spokesman from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point said the pilot was from Marine Attack Squadron 542.
"We can confirm that a pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 542, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ejected from an AV-8B Harrier at approximately 5:05 p.m. off the coast of Wilmington, N.C.," said Marine Lt. Maida Zheng.
According to Zheng, the pilot was rescued by an H-60 Seahawk helicopter at about 5:28 p.m. The pilot, who has not been identified, is in stable condition at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune.
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Marine Harrier Catches Fire During Takeoff From Ship
Military.com
by Hope Hodge Seck
Mar 14, 2016
A Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier aboard a ship in the North Arabian Gulf sustained extensive damage when it caught fire during takeoff, Navy officials confirmed to Military.com.
The mishap took place March 8 aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge, which is deployed in the U.S. Fifth Fleet with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, said Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.
Around 1 p.m. that day, the Harrier, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (Reinforced), had been preparing for takeoff ahead of a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Stephens said. While Stephens did not specify the nature of the mission, aircraft from MEUs deployed to the Middle East have frequently been tasked with airstrikes on Islamic State targets and with surveillance and reconnaissance missions in support of the coalition fight against the extremists.
While applying takeoff power, the Harrier caught fire while still aboard the deck of the Kearsarge, according to an incident report from the Naval Safety Center. The Harrier's pilot was uninjured.
"The pilot safely exited the aircraft on deck with the assistance of Kearsarge and 26 MEU flight deck firefighters," Stephens told Military.com.
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