In a bizarre accident, the U.S. Navy suffered an expensive loss over the weekend that saw one of the most technologically advanced fighter jets in the world, an F/A-18 Super Hornet, blown off the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. The accident, which took place on July 8 as the ship was sailing the Mediterranean, injured one sailor. An investigation is underway.
Truman, along with the embarked Carrier Air Wing 1, was conducting a replenishment-at-sea in the Mediterranean. During unexpectedly heavy winds, the F/A-18 Super Hornet was blown overboard and into the water. The mission “was safely terminated through established procedures,” according to a Navy press release.
I'd expect that the CO and XO of the carrier will be fired over this, along with the CAG and the CO of the Hornet squadron, unless the investigation shows that the the jet was properly secured to the deck. CDR Accuweather, or whoever is the senior weatherguru on board, may also be gonzo. For the unit commanders, that's the price that gets paid for wearing the command-at-sea pin on the right side of their uniforms.
2 comments:
I wonder if the Commander, or whoever, got to watch their career get blown overboard?
I can imagine a distinct sinking feeling in their stomach.
I thought they had some sort of tie-down cables for stuff like heavy winds?
w3ski
w3ski, there are quick disconnect chain cables for securing aircraft on ships. It should be possible to secure an airplane on deck against high winds.
There will be at least two investigations into this. One will be a safety investigation, to determine what happened, what can be learned from it, and what can be done prevent reoccurrences. The other is an investigation done according a manual of the Judge Advocate General, called a JAGMAN Investigation. This is to determine what happened and who was responsible for it.
The two sets of investigations are done by separate investigators who are under orders not to confer with one another. For instance, it is a chargeable offense not to cooperate with the safety investigation. All questions have to be answered, documents produced, and so on. Nothing gets held back from the safety investigator. On the other hand, the JAGMAN investigation is an administrative and possible criminal investigation and one can assert Fifth Amendment rights.
I'd be surprised if both investigations are not already underway.
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