USS Harry S. Truman highlights ongoing operational risks faced by naval aviation. On May 2, 2025, the aircraft experienced a mishap while attempting to land, resulting in the pilot and weapons systems officer ejecting safely and being rescued with minor injuries . This incident marks the second loss of an F/A-18 Super Hornet from the Truman in just over a week, raising concerns regarding safety protocols and operational procedures aboard the carrier.
There were only minor injuries after the two-seater F/A-18F Super Hornet went off the deck as it was landing around 9:45 p.m. local time Tuesday (early afternoon ET) and crashed into the sea, the officials said.
The two aviators aboard ejected after the failed landing, in which the aircraft failed to catch the wire, known as a “failed arrestment,” one of the officials said. The incident is under investigation.
An official said that based on initial reporting, the tail hook failed to hook the wire that slows down the aircraft, which continued to accelerate toward the bow and went into the water.
US Naval assets in the Red Sea have repeatedly come under Houthi fire since the Houthis began their attacks against Red Sea shipping in November 2023. In early 2024, a US destroyer in the Red Sea had to use its Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, its last line of defense to missile attacks, when a Houthi-fired cruise missile got as near as a mile away – and therefore seconds from impact.
The Truman aircraft carrier in particular, though, has been plagued with problems as part of its Red Sea deployment. In December, another F/A-18 fighter jet was operating from the Truman when it was “mistakenly fired” upon by the USS Gettysburg and crashed into the Red Sea. Both aviators ejected safely at the time.
The carrier was slated to come home last month, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth extended its deployment while ordering another carrier -- the USS Carl Vinson -- to the region to bolster military power.
Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the U.S. would stop bombing the Houthis because the rebel group had agreed to stand down. A senior Houthi official said the group was not immediately agreeing to a U.S.-proposed ceasefire, saying they had to evaluate it first.
Prior to this crash, another F/A-18 was lost when it fell overboard while being towed in the hangar bay following an apparent Houthi attack on the ship . Such incidents not only incur significant financial losses—each jet valued at approximately $67.4 million—but also pose serious risks to personnel involved in naval operations. Investigations into these events are crucial for understanding their causes and preventing future occurrences.
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