USS Ronald Reagan Loses a F/A-18C Hornet a Month Into Maiden Deployment

The end of January 2006. America’s Flagship The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) is approximately a month into her maiden deployment to the North Arabian Gulf in support of the Global War on Terror.

Having just returned to sea after an eventful port visit to Brisbane Australia, a tragic mishap soon befalls the Reagan and her crew.

Landing a plane on an aircraft carrier is one of the most difficult things a pilot can do. Arrested landings are often referred to as “controlled crashes” and they are even more perilous when attempted at night.

In the middle of the night of January 28, 2006, a single seat F/A-18C Hornet smashed into the rear of the flight deck, missing the arresting cables and skidding overboard into the Pacific Ocean approximately 120 miles southeast of Brisbane. The pilot was able to eject safely and was recovered from the water by one of the Reagan’s helicopters without injury.