A series of air crashes involving U.S. Navy and Marine Corps squadrons in Virginia and South Carolina remains shrouded in mystery, with officials offering few details about the costly accidents.
A Marine Corps two-seat F/A-18D Hornet crashed shortly after takeoff on March 3, and the two crew ejected safely near Lobeco, South Carolina, according to a brief description of the incident released by Naval Security Command .
Security Center marked it as non-lethal Class A accidentwhich means that the aircraft suffered at least 2.5 million dollars in damage.
The Cuso River separates Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort from Lobeco.
Despite local media reports that the Hornet, assigned to Marine Corps All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 “Eagle”, crashed Around 3:15 p.m. that day Near the former government’s Half Moon Island. Mark Sanford’s Coosaw Plantation, it’s unclear how well the military has pledged to investigate the cause of the accident.
A pair of Eagles from Marine Corps All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533 watches as an F/A-18 Hornet returns from deployment at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, on October 18, 2022. USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin.
USMC photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin.
When coffee or die magazine Submitted a request for an investigation that would have been conducted under the federal Freedom of Information Act start immediately After the accident, officials with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in North Carolina said they could not find it.
They directed the news media to Naval Security Command, where the draft investigation may have ended. On Wednesday, Naval Security Command spokeswoman Stephanie Slater promised to unravel the mystery of the missing reports.
Then on Thursday, December 15th, the Second Marine Air Wing told coffee or death The investigation is not over yet. It awaits final approval.
“The Marine Corps thoroughly investigates all accidents to determine causes, learn from them, and take action to reduce the likelihood of future accidents,” Maj. Melanie Salinas, spokeswoman for the 2nd Marine Corps Air Wing, said in an email. the email said Coffee or death.
Although the Navy announce retirement its aging fleet hornets Nearly four years ago, the Marine Corps vowed to keep flying them.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet of the 131st Strike Fighter Squadron “Wildcats” returns to Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia, on Aug. 6, 2020, after a regular deployment. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd class Mark Thomas Mahmoud.
US Navy photo by Private Mark Thomas Mahmod, Mass Communications Specialist.
Navy officials in Virginia provided more details about two Class A accidents at Naval Air Station Oceana over consecutive days in late November that together caused at least $5 million in damage to the aircraft.
The engine of an F/A-18E Super Hornet jet assigned to the 131st Strike Fighter Squadron “Wildcats” flies over the cape virginia.
The unidentified pilot landed safely on Oceana and was uninjured, according to Cmdr. Atlantic Naval Air Corps spokesman Robert Myers.
On November 21, a tire on an F/A-18F Super Hornet blew out during takeoff from Oceana, damaging the plane’s fuselage and engines. Pilots of the Gladiators assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 106, fleet replacement unitand landed safely, Myers said.
Miles added that Navy investigators are looking into both accidents.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on December 15, 2022, to include a second written statement from the 2nd Marine Corps Aircraft Wing.
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