Over the Atlantic Ocean, 50 miles southeast of Naval Air Station Oceana, two US Navy fighter jets collided mid-air during a routine training exercise. Against all odds, both pilots not only survived but also managed to return their heavily damaged aircraft to base.
The collision occurred on April 22, 1996, during the Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program (SFARP), roughly 50 miles southeast of NAS Oceana.
The training drill involved F/A-18s from Fighter Squadron Composite 12 (VFC-12) simulating Russian MiG-29s in an attack on F-14 Tomcats from Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41), with EA-6B Prowlers providing electronic masking.
Flying that day were Lt. Cmdr. Greg Stubbs, Lt. Cmdr. Greg Anderson, and Lt. Cmdr. Cal Worthington. During one of the drills, two jets began rolling maneuvers—signaling that they’d been “shot down.”
That’s when Stubbs and Anderson collided.
Stubbs remembered the hit as jarring. His Hornet jolted and veered left. He couldn’t immediately see what was damaged, but it didn’t take long to realize that part of his left wing and a large section of the tail fin were gone.
Anderson’s jet was even more damaged. The nose cone had snapped off, the canopy had shattered, and one of the engines was damaged.
Yet somehow, both jets stayed in the air. For a brief stretch, no one on the radio was sure if they’d make it. However, the pilots did not eject from their planes, and both heavily damaged jets were still flying. Stubbs, weighing the dangers of ejecting into cold water, chose to aim for land.
The nearest strip was a Coast Guard facility in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, roughly 40 miles closer than their home base. Even so, Stubbs and Anderson agreed to head back to Oceana. The logic was simple: the crews at home would be better prepared to deal with incoming aircraft in distress.
On the way back, Stubbs tested the limits of his control. He found that the slowest speed at which he could still steer was 200 knots. That posed a fresh set of problems. The Hornet’s tailhook, used to catch the arresting cable, was rated for landings at 175 knots. Its tires weren’t certified beyond 182. If either failed, he could crash on landing.
Still, Stubbs set course for Oceana. Two other Hornet pilots were returning from another exercise and offered help.
He initially turned them down. But later, when Lt. Cmdr. Bertrand flew out to meet him, Stubbs let him fall into formation. Bertrand’s presence helped coordinate the approach.
Stubbs brought down his landing gear and made his final run. The Hornet hit the tarmac at 200 knots. The tailhook caught the cable. The jet screeched to a stop, leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid, but intact.
Anderson came in behind him. The front of his jet was mangled—exposed wires, no nose cone, battered fuselage. But he landed, too. He stepped out to join Stubbs on the tarmac. They shook hands. They were both alive.
Two months later, they were both cleared to fly again. Their jets weren’t so lucky. The damage was too extensive; both airframes were pulled from service.
News of the crash spread quickly through military aviation circles. A McDonnell Douglas spokesperson pointed to the incident as a testament to the toughness of the F/A-18s. Stubbs later said the same, that without the aircraft’s design, they wouldn’t have made it.
Afterward, both squadrons reviewed how simulated kill maneuvers were flown. The cause of the crash was a momentary mistake during a coordinated move. However, the focus wasn’t on the error, but on what followed and the decisions that ultimately got both pilots home.
Built by McDonnell Douglas (later merged with Boeing), the F/A-18 Hornet, which had been in service since the 1980s, was replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet later on, due to its upgraded design and improved capabilities.
After entering service in 2001, the Super Hornet quickly proved its worth in combat. It saw action in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, delivering precision strikes in support of U.S. and coalition troops. Not long after, it was heavily used in Iraq during the 2003 invasion and later in missions over Syria, where it conducted airstrikes against ISIS targets as part of the U.S.-led campaign.
The F/A-18 Is Still In Use
Designed with a multi-role philosophy, the aircraft was not only expected to dominate in air-to-air combat but also to carry out precision strikes, electronic warfare, and surveillance—all from the deck of an aircraft carrier.
Its broader wingspan, enhanced range, and advanced radar systems made it a more capable and flexible platform than its predecessor.
The F/A-18 Hornet, along with its upgraded version, the Super Hornet, remains central to U.S. Navy air operations. Though decades have passed since their introduction, the aircraft still serve carriers worldwide. Boeing is under contract to modernize the fleet and upgrade radar, avionics, and cockpit systems.
The Block III upgrades focus on enhancing radar signature management, improving avionics, and equipping the aircraft with a next-generation cockpit.
On March 15, 2025, the U.S. launched a series of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled sites in Yemen, with F/A-18E/F Super Hornets from the USS Harry S. Truman leading the attack.
The primary targets were Houthi weapons storage and command facilities, essential to the group’s operations in disrupting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea.
The precision of these strikes was enhanced by using Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) and AGM-88 High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARMs), which were specifically designed to neutralize enemy radar and air defense systems.
These strikes hit critical infrastructure, including areas like Al Hudaydah and Ras Isa, as well as military command centers in Sanaa and its surrounding regions.
These actions were part of ongoing efforts to reduce the threat posed by the Houthis in the Bab-El-Mandeb region, which is a major choke point in the Red Sea.
- Via: ET News Desk
- Mail us at: editor (at) eurasiantimes.com
