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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Super Hornet Crashes in Persian Gulf, Crew Safely Recovered
2015-05-13
An U.S. Navy F/A-18 F Super Hornet has crashed in the Persian Gulf on Tuesday at about 9:30 A.M. EST, Navy official told USNI News this afternoon. The crew onboard the two-person Boeing strike fighter ejected out of the aircraft and were safely recovered by crew aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), the service said.

“Initial reports indicate both are conscious and alert and without serious injury,” read a Navy statement. “The crash was not a result of hostile activity.”

The more than $60 million fighter lost power shortly after takeoff from Roosevelt and while the sailors ejected the aircraft safely the plane has been declared a total loss, the service told USNI News.

The crash is the first operational loss of of a Super Hornet since 2013 and the first Navy F-18 fighter lost since Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) began last year, according to press reports.

The Super Hornet was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 211 “Checkmates” (VFA 211) based in Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
Posted by:Steve White

#7  Gorb may have been referring to the requisite appendage chopping they will have received for having lost an aircraft.
Posted by: Skidmark   2015-05-13 15:46  

#6  60 million dollars that's outrageous, you could'a had 4 Phantoms for that. And have money enough left over to repaint the Iowas.
Posted by: Shipman   2015-05-13 15:23  

#5  RE #3: To avoid the keel hauling you may notice that following most cat shots, the aircraft turns outboard, or away from the CV's course.

And too early to blame the LD: early in its life it was found that many crashes were due to pilots trying to actually fly the bird; now they just grip the handles on the canopy structure and let HAL establish a positive rate of climb before trying to out think the computer.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2015-05-13 14:52  

#4  Yep, from what I've read, ejection is not a good thing at all.....except for the alternative.
Posted by: AlanC   2015-05-13 10:07  

#3  I came across something a while back explaining how serious an ejection is, and sometimes the ejecting party does end up shorter, sometimes suffering injuries which make difficult any sense of a full recovery.

I would guess that part of the pre-launch includes how and where to eject in case of a power failure so as to not be keel-hauled by the carrier.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2015-05-13 09:21  

#2  The Lawn Dart strikes again.
Posted by: ed in texas   2015-05-13 08:00  

#1  “Initial reports indicate both are conscious and alert and without serious injury,”

Both are feeling about an inch shorter right now.
Posted by: gorb   2015-05-13 00:48  

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