Two pilots ejected in an incident during a landing on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia. Four members of the ship's crew were injured, the US Navy said.
The incident occurred on September 28 at around 6:18 p.m. local time during operations to receive aircraft on board the ship. The crew of the two-seat aircraft was safely returned to the aircraft carrier, and the two aviators were evaluated by medical teams.
“Both aviators were safely returned to the ship and are being evaluated by medical personnel,” the US Navy said in a statement.The four injured sailors also received medical attention. One of them was transported to a Norfolk-area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Aircraft and cause not specified
The Navy did not say what type of aircraft it was. It is known only that it was part of Carrier Air Wing 3 and was a two-seat aircraft. In naval aviation, such aircraft could be an F/A-18F “Super Hornet“ fighter, an EA-18G “Growler“ electronic attack aircraft, or a T-45 “Goshawk“ trainer, but there is no official confirmation which of these types was involved in the incident.
The cause of the accident has not been announced. The US Navy has not indicated what damage was done to the aircraft or the ship's deck.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is a “Nimitz“class aircraft carrier. The ship began qualification operations after its last overhaul in July and left the naval station in Norfolk on the afternoon of September 28.
Sources: USNI News