Event Brief
Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
Ex-TOPGUN pilot explains eerie calm after Marine F-18 ejection
By The BriefBrief
Former TOPGUN pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley said a Marine Corps F-18 crash in Washington state showed how ejection at hundreds of miles per hour can be violent and leave a pilot feeling eerily calm afterward. He described Maj. Jackson Simon’s shock and adrenaline letdown, noting Simon appeared remarkably composed in bodycam footage after emerging from the woods.
WHO: Matthew “Whiz” Buckley
WHAT: Buckley explains what a fighter pilot experiences during and after ejecting from an F-18, citing a Marine Corps crash and the pilot’s calm demeanor afterward.
WHEN: Reported Aug 25, 2026 at 2:38 PM ET
WHERE: Rimrock Lake area, Washington state, USA
WHY: The explanation was triggered by the Marine Corps F-18 crash and the pilot’s split-second decision to eject, followed by his unusually composed appearance.
Reporting from 1 identified publisher for this event.
View all 1 publishers
Publishers represented across this event arc
These publishers contributed reporting to the broader event history. Not every source addresses the specific development described above.
How this brief is built: The BriefBrief correlates multiple sources into one evolving event brief, updated as new facts emerge.
Trump administration threatens to demolish Kennedy Center
Trump Administration
Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
Dolly Parton dies at age 80
Dolly Parton
Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
Georgia sheriff seizes 1,800 pounds of suspected marijuana
Butts County Sheriff’s Office
Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
Hegseth purge leaves Army leadership vacuum
Pete Hegseth
Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
