F/A-18 Aircraft Mishap Emergency Response, Death Valley National Park, CA

Trevet was deployed by the U.S Navy to remove aircraft debris following the crash of a F/A-18 into a remote area of southern Death Valley National Park, approximately 50 miles east of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA. Fuel from the aircraft ignited and burned on impact. Charred soil and a debris field demarcated the mishap site, which is within a limited access designated wilderness area characterized by rugged wildland with a rocky surface and sparce desert vegetation. All recovery efforts were performed by hand with helicopter support, in accordance with National Park Service rules prohibiting wheeled vehicle access to the area.

The field team collected the equivalent of three 40-yard roll-off bins of aluminum, plastic, carbon fiber composite, and other aircraft debris over a five week period, which was flown offsite by helicopter. The site boundary was considered delineated after crews surveyed a buffer area beyond the location of the farthest debris. Following debris removal, the condition of the crash site was assessed for environmental impacts resulting from aircraft debris, airborne carbon fibers from the composite aircraft materials, and petroleum hydrocarbons and their combustion byproducts. Soil samples were collected to characterize residual fuel and combustion products, and airborne data were collected to determine fiber concentrations. Because of analytical results and the remote nature of the site, the risk of human exposure to potential chemical contaminants in soil and airborne carbon fiber related to the mishap was found to be very low.