Alliant's Scripps Ranch Campus Safe:
Crash of Military Jet from Miramar Station Several Miles Away

The F-18 military jet that was downed this afternoon in the Universal City neighborhood of San Diego crashed several miles away from Alliant International University's Scripps Ranch Campus.

The University reports that the campus and its community is safe, but students, faculty and staff have joined Dr. Russ Newman, Alliant's Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, in expressing their deepest sympathies to those close to those who were killed at the site of the crash, and to those whose homes were destroyed. Dr. Newman is based on Alliant's Scripps Ranch Campus and is a local resident.

The downed jet hit the pavement on Cather Avenue near Huggins Street, just short of Rose Canyon open space and Interstate 805. The impact sent debris flying between two houses, setting three of them on fire and killing a mother and three children. Two houses were destroyed by the flames.

The Google map below shows the jet's takeoff area in red and the crash site toward the left of the map. The Alliant Campus is circled in turquoise and shown toward the right side of the map. The campus was not impacted by the crash, though students, faculty and staff may encounter serious traffic snarls during their afternoon and evening commutes.

In speaking to reporters from the San Diego Union Tribune, Marine Corps spokesman Jay Delarosa confirmed the plane was a two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, from the 3rd Marine Air Wing's training squadron, which was returning from a training mission at the time of the crash. The San Diego Union Tribune is carrying updated reports on the aircrash.

 Map: Location of F-18 Jet Crash in Relation to Alliant San Diego Campus