A Marine jet skilled a “primary touchdown gear anomaly” at an air station in southern California final week. No personnel have been harmed, a Marine Corps spokesperson advised Navy.com on Tuesday, however video purportedly of the incident rapidly gained traction over the weekend.
The “anomaly” occurred on Oct. 18 “following a secure, routine touchdown as a part of pre-planned coaching,” Maj. Natalie Batcheler, a spokesperson for third MAW, advised Navy.com in an emailed assertion. She added that the incident is below investigation.
It’s unclear what induced the malfunction, which comes after a summer time of high-profile, typically lethal plane incidents for the Marine Corps.
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The F/A-18C Hornet, a single-seat plane, belongs to Marine Fighter Assault Squadron 323, third Marine Plane Wing, or MAW, based mostly out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, the place the incident happened.
Navy.com despatched the video that was circulating on-line to the third MAW.
“Whereas I do not know who [or] the place the video got here from, and the standard is low and it’s darkish, it does seem like the identical incident,” Batcheler mentioned.
The video exhibits what seems to be a fireplace below the stomach of the plane because it lumbers alongside an airstrip. Smoke may be seen billowing from the jet. One other lower of the video exhibits emergency personnel responding to the scene.
In 2021, the Navy awarded Boeing an $85 million supply order to overtake the principle and nostril touchdown gear for its F/A-18 Tremendous Hornet variants.
“This award gives optimum assist for F/A-18 E-G fight flight operations,” Lt. Cmdr. Peter Kojm, department head for F/A-18 air automobiles, mentioned on the time. “With out this car, which can permit overhaul efficiency to start instantly, touchdown gear elements would proceed to corrode and rust, making them a touchdown threat, and the F/A-18 wouldn’t be capable to carry out its mission.”
In August, Boeing obtained a further three-year contract to restore the Navy’s Tremendous Hornets. The order is predicted to be accomplished by August 2026, in accordance to the Protection Division.
The service has suffered a lot of plane mechanical points this 12 months. In August, a Marine pilot was killed when his F/A-18D Hornet crashed close to Miramar. That plane belonged to the 2nd MAW. That very same month, an MV-22 Osprey crashed off the northern coast of Australia, killing three Marines.
In September, three Ospreys made compelled landings in Japan following “warning indications” of their cockpits. Later that month, a Marine Corps F-35 went lacking for greater than 24 hours after the pilot ejected over South Carolina, spurring the Corps to ask the general public for assist in finding the practically $100 million jet.
Final 12 months, a Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II nose-dived on a runway after its touchdown gear failed whereas being towed. There have been no accidents in that incident.
— Drew F. Lawrence may be reached at drew.lawrence@navy.com. Comply with him on X @df_lawrence.
