miramarnas

It appears this photo depicts the F/A-18A Hornet in which Hank Kleemann lost his life at Miramar NAS on December 3, 1985. Kleemann is best known as the pilot of an F-14 Tomcat with Radar Intercept Officer (and later Vice Admiral) Lt. David "D.J." Venlet which shot down a Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 during the "Gulf of Sidra Incident" on August 19, 1981. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Sidra_incident_(1981) As for the accident which took his life, Kleemann was coming in for a landing in an (then new to the fleet) F/A-18 Hornet at Miramar when his aircraft reportedly hydroplaned on the wet runway and flipped over. See: articles.latimes.com/1985-12-04/local/me-470_1_landing-gear Navy Pilot Dies After Jet Flips at Miramar by H.G. Reza Los Angeles Times December 04, 1985

It appears this photo depicts the F/A-18A Hornet in which Hank Kleemann lost his life at Miramar NAS on December 3, 1985. Kleemann is best known as the pilot of an F-14 Tomcat with Radar Intercept Officer (and later Vice Admiral) Lt. David "D.J." Venlet which shot down a Libyan Sukhoi Su-22 during the "Gulf of Sidra Incident" on August 19, 1981. See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Sidra_incident_(1981) As for the accident which took his life, Kleemann was coming in for a landing in an (then new to the fleet) F/A-18 Hornet at Miramar when his aircraft reportedly hydroplaned on the wet runway and flipped over. See: articles.latimes.com/1985-12-04/local/me-470_1_landing-gear Navy Pilot Dies After Jet Flips at Miramar by H.G. Reza Los Angeles Times December 04, 1985

The BuNo in the caption ("133549") is incorrect (albeit close) for this aircraft. That number was assigned to a McDonnell F4H-2N Demon. The correct BuNo for the North American FJ-4B Fury in the photograph above is BuNo 143549.