Event Brief
Ex-TOPGUN pilot explains eerie calm after Marine F-18 ejection
By The BriefBrief · Sources (1)
Filed: Aug 25, 2026 at 3:03 PM ET
Summary: 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: Aug 25, 2026
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.
ℹ️ This event is analyzed using pattern arcs, velocity indicators, and source analysis in our MI Console.
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