Navy: No Pattern To Fatal F-14 Crashes

The Navy sees no accident pattern in two fatal crashes of F-14 fighter jets in the past month that would call for special safety measures, officials said Tuesday.

Kenneth Bacon, chief spokesman for Defense Secretary William Perry, said Perry was meeting Tuesday with Adm. Mike Boorda, the chief of naval operations, to hear how the Navy is approaching its investigation of the latest crash.

On Sunday an F-14D Tomcat fighter crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 120 miles off the southern California coast during exercises, killing its two crew members.

It was the 31st F-14 crash in the last five years.