A fighter plane crashed in the Nevada...

A fighter plane crashed in the Nevada high desert Monday, killing two Marines from the El Toro Marine Air Station, authorities said Tuesday.

The pilot of the A-6E Intruder was 1st Lt. David A. Riegel, 25, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and the bombardier-navigator was Capt. Blake H. Smith, 27, of Boone, Iowa, authorities said. Both were Mission Viejo residents.

The men were conducting routine night bombing maneuvers at the Fallon Naval Air Station. Both died at the scene.

Military authorities said they are investigating the cause of crash.

Gunnery Sgt. Peg Cauley, a spokeswoman for the El Toro station, said Riegel and Smith had been dropping inert bombs over a target range from the two-seater night attack jet when the plane slammed into the ground at 7:50 p.m.

There was a brief flash of flame, Cauley said, but no fire. No one else was injured.

Smith and Riegel were members of the Marine All-Weather Attack Squadron-121 of the third marine aircraft wing at the El Toro station, Cauley said.

They were among a 100-Marine detachment from the squadron that had been at the Nevada Air station since April 16 participating in a two-week training at the base 70 miles east of Reno, she said.

Smith was married and had no children, Cauley said. Riegel was single.

A military memorial service will be held, Cauley said, but no date has been set.