The Sept. 28 incident off the coast of Virginia occurred amid a reported spike in military aviation incidents
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NEED TO KNOW
- The two aviators were recovered and returned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for medical evaluation
- Four sailors were injured, with one sailor hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after the incident off Virginia’s coast
- The Navy is investigating the cause as military aviation mishaps have risen in recent years
Four sailors were injured after two U.S. Navy pilots ejected as they were landing their plane on the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the coast of Virginia.
The Navy characterized it several times as a “mishap,” according to their statement on Monday, Sept. 28.
“At approximately 6:18 p.m. EDT on Sept. 28, a mishap occurred during aircraft recovery operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) off the coast of Virginia,” the statement read. “Two Naval aviators assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3 subsequently ejected from their aircraft and were promptly recovered by search-and-rescue personnel.”
Both aviators were safely returned to the ship and were being evaluated by medical personnel.
“Four shipboard personnel were also injured during the mishap and are receiving medical care,” the Navy said. One sailor was transported to a Navy-area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
“Our immediate priority is ensuring all personnel involved receive the care and support they need,” the agency said, noting that carrier crews regularly train for emergencies and unexpected situations during flight operations, and training enabled the crew to respond quickly and safely.
The statement did not name the type of aircraft involved, but the Eisenhower normally carries F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets, both of which could carry a crew of two.
Monday’s incident is the latest mishap involving Navy aircraft in the last couple of years, according to The Virginia Pilot, including a fighter jet and a helicopter crashing into the South China Sea in October. Pentagon data released last year reported a spike in aviation mishaps across the U.S. military in 2024.
The incident follows several recent incidents in which military aviators had to eject, Fox News reported.
In May, four Navy crew members ejected safely after two EA-18G Growlers collided during an aerial demonstration at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, according to the outlet. Both aircraft, worth about $67 million apiece, crashed after they collided.
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Former Topgun pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley told Fox News in August how ejecting from an aircraft traveling at high speed can lead to lifelong injuries — even when the pilot is lucky enough to survive.
Buckley said some people he knew who had to eject suffered spinal injuries that left them several inches shorter.
“When you pull that handle, you have two choices: die or maybe live. And I said, ‘maybe live’ because it’s incredibly violent,” Buckley said. “Most folks don’t even remember the ejection. They remember pulling the handle and then waking up in their parachute.”
The Navy said on Monday that “the cause of the mishap” is under investigation. Updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
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