During its high-intensity deployment to the Middle East, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) suffered an embarrassing series of accidents between December 2024 and May 2025.
The accidents included a collision with a merchant ship, losing one F/A-18E Super Hornet and a tow tractor overboard, one F/A-18F going off the deck during a failed arrested landing, and another F/A-18F shot down in a friendly-fire incident.
Now, the U.S. Navy has finally released the summary findings of the four separate investigations into these embarrassing and costly incidents.
“Each investigation was conducted independently and thoroughly, in accordance with Navy policy, immediately following the incidents,” the Navy said in a release.
“Appropriate accountability actions have been taken to address these incidents.”
F/A-18 Shot Down by USS Gettysburg
On 22 December 2024, an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the famous “Red Rippers” of VFA-11 was shot down by USS Gettysburg (CG-64) while returning to the carrier.
At the time, the Truman strike group was under heavy Houthi attack in the Red Sea and had just shot down missiles and drones.
In the chaos, the cruiser mistook the friendly Super Hornet for an enemy threat and reportedly fired a Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), destroying the jet.
Both crew members ejected safely, were quickly rescued, and returned to the ship with only minor injuries.
The wreckage of the aircraft was never found.
The investigation blamed “lack of integrated training opportunities between USS Gettysburg and the Carrier Strike Group, lack of forceful backup on the cruiser, and lack of cohesion across the Carrier Strike Group” for the misidentification. Luckily, a second friendly jet was nearly hit as well.
Collision with Merchant Ship Besiktas-M
On 12 February 2025, while passing near Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea, the 100,000-ton USS Harry S. Truman collided with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M at night.
The impact ripped large holes in the starboard sponson near the stern aircraft elevator, but there was no flooding, no injuries, and the ship’s propulsion was unaffected.
The investigation ruled the collision “avoidable” and blamed the carrier’s bridge team for failing to navigate past the merchant ship safely.
As a direct result, the Navy relieved the commanding officer, Capt. Dave Snowden, on 20 February “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command.”
Capt. Christopher Hill (former CO of USS Eisenhower) took temporary command. Temporary repairs were made in Greece; full repairs will wait until the carrier’s mid-life refueling overhaul.
F/A-18 & Tow Tractor Lost Overboard
On 28 April 2025, while taking evasive turns to dodge an incoming Houthi ballistic missile in the Red Sea, a single-seat F/A-18E from VFA-136 broke loose in the hangar bay.
The jet was being towed when its brakes failed. Both the aircraft and the tow tractor slid across the deck and went over the side, taking the tow tractor with them. Only one sailor suffered minor injuries.
The investigation found the main cause was “aircraft brake system failure, compounded by insufficient communication between the bridge, flight deck control, and hangar bay control.” All other actions were in accordance with normal procedures.
Another Super Hornet Lost
On 6 May 2025, during a night recovery, an F/A-18F from VFA-11 hooked the #4 arresting wire, but the wire system failed. The jet ran off the angled deck into the sea.
Both the pilot and weapons officer ejected safely and were rescued by helicopter with minor injuries.
The probe found the #4 starboard sheave damper had malfunctioned because of “inadequate maintenance practices, low manning levels, limited knowledge, and insufficient training.”
High combat tempo and constant operations worsened the situation. Flight operations resumed just hours later.
Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jim Kilby said: “These investigations assessed underlying procedural compliance and standards and reviewed how a Carrier Strike Group prepares for and responds to adversity during combat operations.
”Despite the string of accidents, Kilby stressed that the Navy’s sustained combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of operations for the past two years demonstrated our battle effectiveness and ability to maintain freedom of navigation.”
He added, “The four investigations reinforce the need to continue investing in our people to ensure we deliver battle-ready forces to operational commanders. Despite the challenges, the Sailors of the Harry S. Truman Strike Group demonstrated adaptability, professionalism, and complete commitment to the mission throughout the deployment.”
The USS Truman strike group has now returned home after one of the most intense and accident-filled deployments of any U.S. carrier in recent years.
More Accidents
The misery for Super Hornets did not end there. In October 2025, two US Navy aircraft, including an F/A-18F Super Hornet, crashed into the South China Sea in separate incidents.
An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the “Battle Cats” of HSM-73 went down while carrying out normal flight operations from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
Search-and-rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11 rushed to the scene and pulled all three crew members out of the water.
In the second incident (just about 30 minutes later), an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the “Fighting Redcocks” of VFA-22 also crashed into the sea during routine operations from the same carrier USS Nimitz.
Both the pilot and the weapons officer ejected safely and were quickly rescued. The U.S. Navy said: “All personnel involved are safe and in stable condition.”
The incidents occurred while President Donald Trump was visiting Asia on the first overseas trip of his second term, and just as new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was about to begin a tour of several Asian countries.
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