The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, July 18, 1996               TAG: 9607180366
SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A4   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: JACKSONVILLE, FLA.                LENGTH:   31 lines

NAVY PILOT EJECTS SAFELY IN RISKY LANDING OF TROUBLED JET ABORTED LANDING ON ROOSEVELT DIVERTED CRAFT TO CECIL FIELD, WHERE TIRES BLEW.

A Navy fighter pilot whose tires blew out during a landing at an air base early Wednesday ejected before his FA-18 Hornet veered off the runway and crashed, officials said.

Lt. Paul Cannon, 28, of Merion, Pa., suffered minor injuries after the ejection at Cecil Field Naval Air Station, but was held in a hospital for observation, said base spokesman Bert Byers.

Cecil Field was aware that the plane was having trouble and had emergency crews standing by when the accident happened at 2:40 a.m, Byers said.

Cannon, a member of Cecil's Strike Fighter Squadron 86, first experienced difficulty while trying to land on the Norfolk-based carrier Theodore Roosevelt in the Atlantic about 150 miles southeast of North Carolina. He was diverted to Cecil Field, Byers said.

Upon landing at Cecil, two tires failed and the jet veered off the runway. Cannon ejected at ground level and his parachute deposited him a short distance away.

The aircraft tumbled to an upright stop in the grass near the runway. It was heavily damaged, Byers said.

Navy aviation officials were investigating.

KEYWORDS: AIRPLANE ACCIDENT U.S. NAVY FA-18 HORNET by CNB