Naval Air Station Lemoore pilot Lt. Richard Bullock dies in California desert jet crash

Joshua Yeager, Visalia Times-Delta
·2 min read
1
U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock died in a crash in the California desert during a routine training. He was assigned to Naval Air Station Lemoore at the time of the crash.
U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock died in a crash in the California desert during a routine training. He was assigned to Naval Air Station Lemoore at the time of the crash.

A Lemoore Naval Air Station pilot died after his jet crashed in a remote area of the California desert during a routine training over the weekend, Navy officials announced.

U.S. Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock was training in an F-18 Super Hornet on June 3 when he crashed near Trona, about 25 miles east of Ridgecrest.

No civilians were injured in the fatal incident that is under investigation, Navy officials said. The Navy and local authorities secured the crash site and recovery efforts are ongoing.

"The Navy mourns this tragic loss alongside the family, friends and shipmates of Lt. Bullock," the Navy said in a Sunday statement.

Bullock was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 113 based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. He was from the San Diego area, according to a Navy news release.

Notably, both the Super Hornet jet and Naval Air Station Lemoore featured in the recent blockbuster Hollywood film "Top Gun: Maverick."

Pilots there were in the cockpit for most of the movie's in-air acrobatics and dog-fighting sequences while actors were in the back seat filming.

The Kings County-based air station was commissioned in July 1961. The site was chosen because of its remote yet central location, according to the Navy.

The base is home to Commander Strike Fighter Wing Pacific and Commander Joint Strike Fighter Wing. More than half of the Navy’s Super Hornet aircraft are housed there, and it is the only Navy installation to house the F-35C Lightning II.

On average, 210,000 flight operations occur annually, according to the Navy.

Joshua Yeager is a reporter with the Visalia Times-Delta and a Report for America corps member. He covers Tulare County news deserts with a focus on the environment and local governments. 

Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock dies in F-18 jet crash in Trona CA