CROWS LANDING -- A routine overnight mission for a U.S. Navy reservist ended in death here yesterday when a tire blew out as he was shooting practice landings and take-offs here.

Killed in the firery crash at the Crows Landing Naval Auxillary Landing Field was Lt. Wesley Wayne Jewell, 26, of Bangor, Butte County. The crash activated the ejector rocket and left it in a dangerous state until it finally was disarmed last night, some 13 hours later.

Lt. Jewell was en route on what Navy officials termed a routine flight from Los Alamitos Naval Air Station to Moffet Field near Sunnyvale by way of the Crows Landing base, a small installation used primarily for Navy pilots to practice take-offs and landings.

Practice Touching Down

According to base authorities, he was touching down during practice when the tire blew out, causing the A4 Skyhawk jet attack bomber to flip onto its side. It burst into flame as it skidded down the runway and Jewell, in civilian life an employee of Continental Airlines, was killed instantly.

A special crew was rushed from Alameda Naval Air Station to remove the live ejector-seat rocket, activated when pins sheared off at the crash impact. The crew spent several hours deactivating the rocket, cutting detonation pins, before being able to remove it safely.

A Naval board of inquiry arrived at the base yesterday afteroon to investigate the 10:52 a.m. crash, conferring with Lt. Cmdr. Charles Craft, Crows Landing Commander.