Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet Crashes in Atlantic; Pilot Safely Rescued
A U.S. Navy pilot was successfully rescued following the crash of an F/A-18E Super Hornet into the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia’s coast on Wednesday morning. The incident occurred during a routine training mission, as confirmed by officials.
Navy spokesperson Lt. Jackie Parashar reported that the pilot, who is part of Strike Fighter Squadron 83 stationed at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, ejected from the aircraft shortly before 10 a.m. ET. Rescue operations managed to retrieve the pilot around 11:21 a.m. The pilot has been transported to a hospital for medical assessment, although details regarding their condition have not been released.
The cause of the crash is currently being investigated, and the aircraft remains unrecovered in the ocean.
This accident represents the sixth loss of a Navy F-18 series aircraft in the last ten months:
| Month | Incident |
|---|---|
| October 2024 | Two pilots killed in an EA-18G Growler crash near Mount Rainier, Washington, during training. |
| December 2024 | A Super Hornet from USS Harry S. Truman was mistakenly shot down by USS Gettysburg in the Red Sea; both pilots ejected safely. |
| February 2025 | A Growler crashed into San Diego Bay near Naval Base Coronado; both pilots were rescued by a fishing boat. |
| April 2025 | A Super Hornet went overboard from USS Harry S. Truman while being towed into a hangar bay. |
| May 2025 | Another Super Hornet went overboard from USS Harry S. Truman after an arresting gear failure during landing; both pilots safely ejected. |
The F/A-18E Super Hornet, a prominent multirole fighter in the U.S. Navy, costs approximately $67 million to produce.
