This FY83 Hornet is seen during some line maintenance in one of the hangars at homebase El Toro. Its predecessors within VMFA-323 "Death Rattlers" are painted on the wall. 162434 flew during its career only with VMFA-323 and VMFA-112 as it crashed with the latter on 21 April 2004. The aircraft came into serious troubles when flying a night mission from MCAS Miramar. Some 119 miles from that base and 20 miles from MCAS Yuma (AZ) contact was lost with the aircraft and pilot over the Imperial Valley desert south of Glamis. The pilot got killed in this crash.

This 1983 F/A-18A (Block 15) was captured during its landing at home base MCAS El Toro. The aircraft started its career with Marine Strike Fighter Squadron (VMFA) 323 Death Rattlers and flew as WS-07 and later WS-00 until May 1993. The Hornet was transferred to VMFA-112 as MA-02 and crashed as such on 21 April 2004. The aircraft came down south of Glamis, 119 miles east of MCAS Miramar (CA), killing its pilot.