A military pilot safely ejected Friday before the training jet he was landing at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado overshot a runway and crashed into San Diego Bay.
The T-45 Goshawk plunged into the harbor about 2 p.m., coming to rest upright and partially submerged in shallow water, according to Naval Air Forces Pacific public affairs.
10News published a photo of the downed aircraft in the bay's shallow waters. Broadcast video showed the red-nosed aircraft in the water with the canopy missing.
Boaters pulled the pilot out of the bay a short time after the crash.
"It was good to see the parachute — you're just hoping he's OK," Sean Brady, a witness, told NBC7 San Diego.
The pilot, whose name was not released, was taken to a hospital for a precautionary evaluation. By early evening, he had been examined and released, according to the Navy.
At the time of the accident, the pilot was on a routine training mission to prepare for aircraft carrier landing qualifications. The two-seat Boeing/BAE Systems aircraft he was flying is assigned to Training Squadron 9, based in Meridian, Mississippi.
A crane crew was called in to remove the jet from the harbor, officials said.
