US: 4 Injured in Aircraft Landing Mishap Aboard USS Dwight D Eisenhower off Virginia
Four personnel were injured during an aircraft landing mishap aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off the Virginia coast on Sept. 28. Two aviators assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3 ejected safely and were recovered without life-threatening injuries, while one injured sailor was evacuated to a Norfolk hospital. The Navy is investigating the flight deck incident.
Four personnel were injured in a landing mishap aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) on Monday, USNI News has learned. The incident occurred during routine flight operations as the nuclear-powered Nimitz-class aircraft carrier conducted training off the coast of Virginia.
The crew of the unspecified two-seat aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3 was safely recovered after ejecting from the aircraft, the Navy said in a statement provided to USNI News. Following the ejection, search-and-rescue teams acted swiftly to recover both pilots and transfer them back aboard the warship for medical assessment. US Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Jet Crashes Near Rimrock Lake in Washington, Sparks Wildfire (See Video and Pics).
Aviators Recovered Safely After In-Flight Ejection
“At approximately 6:18 p.m. EDT on September 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,” reads the statement.
“Both aviators were safely returned to the ship and are being evaluated by medical personnel. Four shipboard personnel were also injured during the mishap and are receiving medical care. One sailor is being transported to a Norfolk-area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries”. US F-35 Fighter Jet Damaged in Suspected Iranian Strike Over International Waters, Makes Emergency Landing.
The remaining three injured sailors are being monitored and treated by onboard medical staff, with no fatalities reported from the flight deck.
Carrier Qualifications Follow Scheduled Maintenance Overhaul
Eisenhower is in the midst of early carrier qualifications after completing its most recent repair period in July. According to ship spotters, the ship left this afternoon from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Carrier qualifications represent a critical training phase for naval aviators, requiring aircrews to demonstrate proficiency in launching and executing arrested landings aboard an active flight deck. The deployment off the Virginia Capes followed maintenance availability intended to prepare the 47-year-old carrier for operational readiness.
Aircraft Type Under Review by Naval Safety Investigators
While the service did not identify the lost plane, the Navy has two types of two-seat carrier aircraft – the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft – assigned to air wings. The Navy also flies the two-seat T-45 Goshawk trainer.
Carrier Air Wing 3, embarked aboard the Eisenhower, regularly operates both the F/A-18F strike fighter and EA-18G airborne electronic attack platform.
The US Navy has not yet detailed the mechanical or environmental circumstances that forced the emergency ejection, nor confirmed the structural status of the airframe. A formal military mishap investigation board is being convened to reconstruct the sequence of the approach, arresting wire engagement, and crew ejection.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2026 05:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
