Navy Inquiry Details Rapid Descent into Chaos During Aircraft Carrier Landing Incident
NORFOLK, VA – A recently released Navy investigation report reveals a sequence of mechanical failures and procedural missteps culminated in a harrowing aircraft carrier landing incident on February 29, 2024, aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in the Atlantic Ocean. the report details how a seemingly routine approach deteriorated within seconds, nearly resulting in a catastrophic loss of aircraft and potentially endangering personnel.
The incident, involving an F/A-18E Super Hornet, underscores the inherent risks of carrier operations and highlights the critical importance of redundancy in aircraft systems and adherence to established flight procedures. The findings come as the Navy continues to grapple with maintaining readiness across its fleet and addressing concerns about the aging of its aircraft and equipment. The investigation’s recommendations are expected to prompt a review of carrier landing protocols and maintenance procedures fleet-wide.
The report centers on a failure of the aircraft’s angle of attack (AOA) sensor during the final approach.As the pilot initiated the landing, the faulty sensor transmitted incorrect data to the aircraft’s flight control computer, causing the system to erroneously command a meaningful pitch-up maneuver. Despite the pilot’s immediate corrective actions, the aircraft rapidly deviated from the glide slope.
According to the investigation, the pilot, whose name is withheld for operational security reasons, attempted to recover by applying full aft stick and increasing engine power.However, the compromised AOA data continued to influence the flight control system, hindering the pilot’s ability to regain control. Simultaneously, the aircraft’s tailhook, essential for arresting the plane on the carrier deck, failed to deploy correctly.
“The confluence of these failures created a rapidly escalating situation,” the report states. “The pilot was faced with a simultaneous loss of flight control authority and the inability to safely arrest the aircraft.”
The pilot ultimately executed a bolter – a missed landing where the aircraft does not catch a wire – and safely regained altitude before circling for another approach. No injuries where reported, and the aircraft sustained no damage. though, the incident triggered an immediate stand-down of all flight operations aboard the Eisenhower while the investigation was underway.
The Navy’s Safety Center conducted the investigation, meticulously reviewing flight data recorder information, maintenance logs, and conducting interviews with the pilot, aircrew, and relevant personnel. The report identified a pre-existing, but undetected, flaw in the AOA sensor as the primary cause of the incident.Contributing factors included a lack of procedural emphasis on recognizing and responding to unreliable AOA data and a delayed inspection of the tailhook mechanism.
Following the incident, the Navy issued a fleet-wide alert regarding the AOA sensor issue and mandated immediate inspections of all similar sensors across its F/A-18 fleet. Additionally, the Navy is revising its carrier landing procedures to incorporate enhanced training on recognizing and mitigating the effects of faulty sensor data. The investigation concluded with recommendations for improved maintenance protocols and a renewed focus on crew resource management during carrier operations.
