Training Air Wing 2 is expected to resume flight operations Oct. 2, a day after a T-45 Goshawk crashed about two miles north of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville on land owned by the King Ranch.
The crash was the second incident within a week for the Training Air Wing and Training Squadron (VT) 21. A flight instructor and student aviator safely ejected prior to the crash. Both were treated for minor injuries and released, Oct. 1.
Training Air Wing 2, including VT-21 and VT-22, conducted a safety stand down Oct. 2 to review standard operating procedures and Operational Risk Management measures. After the stand down was completed, the Training Air Wing resumed its flight training schedule.
“We took a pause for safety this morning to talk with our instructor pilots and flight students,” said Capt. Bill Davis, Training Air Wing 2 commander. “We always stop and review our procedures when something like this happens. We look at every aspect of our flight training and ensure that we are doing things the right way before we resume flying.”
All flight operations at NAS Kingsville were suspended Oct. 1 during the recovery efforts. Davis said he does not foresee any interruption to the Wing’s training schedule.
“I have full confidence in the T-45 aircraft and both of our training squadrons,” Davis said. “We flew almost 35,000 flight hours last year and historically, we have a very good safety record. At this time, the two incidents do not appear to be related other than the fact that they happened a few days apart.”
An investigation into the cause of both crashes is underway. Mishap investigation teams - including personnel from the Navy Safety Center and Training Air 2 - are on site conducting the investigations.
The crash site is only about a mile-and-a-half from NAS Kingsville, but located on an area of King Ranch that presents difficulties for investigators trying to access the site.
NAS Kingsville security personnel were able to make it to the crash site Oct. 1 by using ATVs with assistance from King Ranch personnel, but still had to make their way through heavily mudded areas in order to get to the aircraft.
The Navy is reviewing options on how to recover the aircraft from the scene. Meanwhile, the recovery of the aircraft from the Sept. 27 crash of a T-45 Goshawk attached to Training Squadron 21 should be concluded Oct. 10.