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Two Navy aviators eject in USS Eisenhower recovery mishap; four sailors hurt

Two Carrier Air Wing 3 aviators ejected during aircraft recovery aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off Virginia around 6:18 p.m. EDT Monday and were rescued, the Navy said. Four shipboard sailors were injured, including one taken to a Norfolk-area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Navy has not identified the two-seat aircraft or the cause.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-29T10:10:00-07:00

Sailors and aircraft on the flight deck of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean

Editor’s note: Time (~6:18 p.m. EDT / 18:18 local Sep 28), Carrier Air Wing 3 assignment, prompt SAR recovery, medical evaluation of both aviators, four shipboard injured with one to a Norfolk-area hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, and the Navy’s training quote follow the Navy statement as reported by CBS/AP (updated Sep 29, 2026), Anadolu Agency (Sep 29), and AeroTime (Sep 29). USNI News likewise quoted the Navy statement and said Eisenhower had left Norfolk that afternoon for early carrier qualifications after a repair period. Aircraft type and squadron remain unidentified in AP/CBS and USNI accounts; analysts note CVW-3’s two-seat options are the F/A-18F (VFA-32) and EA-18G (VAQ-130). Do not treat any single outlet’s later type ID as official unless the Navy confirms. Cause, aircraft fate (overboard vs. deck), and injury details beyond the Navy’s brief statement are unknown.

Two U.S. Navy aviators ejected during aircraft recovery aboard the Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) off the Virginia coast Monday evening, and four sailors on the ship were injured, the Navy said in a statement reported by CBS/AP and other outlets.

What happened: At about 6:18 p.m. EDT on September 28, a mishap occurred during aircraft recovery operations — when jets land back aboard the carrier — involving a two-seat aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3, the Navy said. Both aviators ejected and were promptly recovered by search-and-rescue personnel, returned to the ship, and were being evaluated by medical staff. Four shipboard personnel were also hurt; one sailor was transported to a Norfolk-area hospital for treatment of injuries the Navy described as non-life-threatening.

Aircraft and context: The Navy has not identified the aircraft type, squadron, cause, or whether the jet remained on deck or went overboard. Aviation specialists note that Carrier Air Wing 3’s two-seat, ejection-seat carrier aircraft are the F/A-18F Super Hornet (Strike Fighter Squadron 32) and the EA-18G Growler (Electronic Attack Squadron 130). USNI News reported Eisenhower had left Naval Station Norfolk that afternoon for early carrier qualifications after completing a recent repair period. The nuclear-powered carrier was commissioned in 1977.

Why it matters: Carrier qualifications put air wings and deck crews through high-tempo launch-and-recovery cycles where mishaps, though uncommon, can injure flight-deck personnel and aircrew within seconds. The Navy said regular emergency training helped the crew respond quickly and safely. Names of the aviators and injured sailors were not released in the initial statement.

Uncertainty: Officials have not explained what went wrong, how the four shipboard sailors were hurt, or the condition of either aviator beyond medical evaluation. Any later identification of the aircraft type should be treated as unconfirmed until the Navy says so.

What's next: Watch for a Navy update naming the aircraft and squadron, medical status of the six personnel, whether flight operations were paused, and any safety investigation (including whether arresting gear or deck procedures are implicated).

Method note: US Brief digests are AI-assisted from the US Brief desk. We synthesize reputable reporting with cited sources; we do not invent quotes, figures, or forecasts.

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Two Navy aviators eject in USS Eisenhower recovery mishap; four sailors hurt

Two Carrier Air Wing 3 aviators ejected during aircraft recovery aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower off Virginia around 6:18 p.m. EDT Monday and were rescued, the Navy said. Four shipboard sailors were injured, including one taken to a Norfolk-area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The Navy has not identified the two-seat aircraft or the cause.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-29T10:10:00-07:00

AI-assisted digests from the US Brief desk. Synthesizes reputable reporting with cited sources; not a wire service. Corrections welcomed.

Sailors and aircraft on the flight deck of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during flight operations in the Atlantic Ocean

Two U.S. Navy aviators ejected during aircraft recovery aboard the Nimitz-class carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) off the Virginia coast Monday evening, and four sailors on the ship were injured, the Navy said in a statement reported by CBS/AP and other outlets.

What happened: At about 6:18 p.m. EDT on September 28, a mishap occurred during aircraft recovery operations — when jets land back aboard the carrier — involving a two-seat aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3, the Navy said. Both aviators ejected and were promptly recovered by search-and-rescue personnel, returned to the ship, and were being evaluated by medical staff. Four shipboard personnel were also hurt; one sailor was transported to a Norfolk-area hospital for treatment of injuries the Navy described as non-life-threatening.

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