A U.S. Navy pilot was safely rescued after an F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia on Wednesday morning during a routine training flight, officials confirmed.
According to Navy spokesperson Lt. Jackie Parashar, the pilot, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 83 based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, ejected from the aircraft shortly before 10 a.m. ET. Rescue teams located and recovered the pilot at approximately 11:21 a.m. The aviator was taken to a hospital for medical evaluation, though their condition has not yet been disclosed.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and the downed jet has not been recovered from the ocean.
This incident marks the sixth Navy F-18 series aircraft lost in the past ten months:
- October 2024 – Two pilots were killed when an EA-18G Growler crashed near Washington state’s Mount Rainier during training.
- December 2024 – A Super Hornet from USS Harry S. Truman was accidentally shot down by friendly fire from USS Gettysburg in the Red Sea; both pilots ejected safely.
- February 2025 – A Growler crashed in San Diego Bay near Naval Base Coronado; both pilots rescued by a fishing boat.
- April 2025 – A Super Hornet fell 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 key U.S. Navy multirole fighter, has a production cost of about $67 million per unit.
