Another Fighter Jet Tumbles from Truman Carrier Deck into Red Sea

Military.com ^ | 5/7/25 | Konstantin Toropin

[Blood of Tyrants]

The USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier lost another F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet on Tuesday -- the third since it deployed to the Middle East -- this time amid a landing incident that caused the jet to go overboard, defense officials confirmed to Military.com

The incident comes just more than a week after the Truman lost an F/A-18 jet and a connected tow tractor when the pair fell overboard while being towed around the carrier's hangar deck.

Officials said the most recent incident was caused by a failure in some part of the arresting equipment used to bring the jet to a halt on the carrier's flight deck, and both aviators ejected safely from the aircraft.

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TOPICS: Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: aircraft; carrier; menmakingmistakes; ussharrytruman

[Blood of Tyrants]

Having been on a carrier and somewhat familiar with the arresting gear, I can give an educated guess about what happened. It is likely that the arresting cable broke as the jet caught it, slowing the jet down below so that it was going too slow to remain flying and it went off the angle deck. Thankfully both pilots were able to safely eject.

Since the FA-18 is designed for a single pilot, this plane must have been a trainer.

[jimjohn]

Yeah, but 3 planes?

Um.. when will someone to called to answer for the fact that these expensive planes... can’t swim?

just my $0.02

jimjohn

[Blood of Tyrants]

I don’t know about the first, but the second loss was due to an error on the crew charged with moving it. This loss was due to equipment failure.

[Red6]

Two?

That was a career ending event.

[GMMC0987]

They’ve been on deployment for more than seven months. Men and machines are wearing out.

[right way right]

Maybe we just have some junk equipment…that just needs to go?

total speculation…

[9YearLurker]

Any chance of sabotage?

[Midwesterner53]

And the Skipper has not been relieved for “loss of confidence” like so many others, even after 3 of apparently the same type of incidents? Notice too no mention of who has been flying these jets. DEI sounds a lot like DIE again.

[Bob434]

that’ll teach em to accept DEI folks with depth perception problems

[Cuttnhorse]

As an OLD Navy guy who did lots of plane guard aboard a Destroyer, saying these accidents are due to “DEI” is stupid.
You don’t know what you’re yapping about.
QM2, DD698 USS Ault

[Gay State Conservative]

I'm an old Army guy but I enjoy watching carrier flight deck videos on youtube. It's my understanding that those cables can snap. I don't think it happens often but it does happen.

One would think that when it does happen the individual(s) responsible for inspecting the cables would have to answer to the Captain.

[Bob434]

blah blh blah- lighten up francis!

[Bob434]

it was a freakin joke- learn to laugh will ya?

[Destroyer Sailor]

Most a EF-18 Growler used for ECM.

[Destroyer Sailor]

Carrier operations are always hazardous

[Wayne07]

The F/A-18F (two seat variant) is good for surface attack missions, with the second seat being a Weapon Systems Officer. Probably not used for training in this situation.

[Cuttnhorse]

And a stupid joke

[Bob434]

cry me a river sour puss!

[Jeff Chandler]

Spitting them out like a PEZ dispenser.

[3RIVRS]

Especially at this OPTEMPO. stuff breaks. At the worst possible time.