Bloodied, ejected Marine Corps pilot seen calm and collected after Washington crash destroys aircraft

Bodycam footage shows a Marine F-18 pilot bloodied from facial lacerations after a June crash in Washington state.

"I'm a little frazzled," Marine Corps Maj.

Jackson Simon admitted to a Yakima County Sheriff's deputy wearing a bodycam after the June 13, 2026, crash.

Despite that, Simon appeared unfazed by the wreck.

The newly released footage captured the moments after the Marine Corps pilot ejected from his F-18 Hornet before the fighter jet slammed into a mountainside near Rimrock Lake.

The crash sent flames and a thick column of black smoke rising above the surrounding trees.

Despite blood covering parts of his face, Simon could be seen casually walking toward the deputy with a phone in his hand and appearing strikingly composed after coming down through the trees.

DEADLY B-52 CRASH PUTS FOCUS ON ENGINES, CONTROLLABILITY AS INVESTIGATORS HUNT FOR ANSWERS Asked by a responder what kind of aircraft had crashed, the pilot began to answer, "That's an F-18," before quickly correcting himself.

"Well, that was–," he began, before the responder said, "An F-18?" and the pilot confirmed.

The pilot told deputies he had been conducting low-level training over the lake when something went wrong.

"We were doing some circles over the lake," he told the officer.

"I tucked in, and I'm not sure exactly.

Honestly, I'm a little frazzled." COAST GUARD HELICOPTER CRASHES DURING ALASKA TRAINING MISSION, INJURING FOUR CREW MEMBERS When told by a bystander that "you hit the trees bad, bud," he responded: "I went through the trees." When the bystander noticed the pilot was "shaking," he admitted: "I have some adrenaline going." The footage also captured the pilot calmly making calls in the aftermath.

In one conversation, he matter-of-factly tells someone, "Hey, buddy, this is Maj.