"The crew members were using an E/A-18G Growler equipped with software they were not familiar with. The software issued a warning advisory during aerial refueling that should have been handled differently, says the report, which the Union-Tribune obtained this week through the Freedom of Information Act."
"The unidentified pilot says in the report that the plane's brakes felt mushy and that he felt the jet was not going to stop in time. He said the tower controller called out not enough runway, which he said caused some confusion and concern, and he called for the ejection."
"The plane soared upward to roughly 8,000 feet, then did a 1-minute, 15-second nose-dive into one of the busiest harbor channels in California. The report does not make clear whether the jet flew over heavily populated areas of Point Loma on its way to crashing about 250 yards from Shelter Island."
On February 12, 2025, an E/A-18G Growler jet from Electronic Attack Squadron 135 crashed into San Diego Bay after its two-person crew ejected. The mishap resulted from multiple human errors during a joint training exercise. The crew was operating unfamiliar software that issued a warning advisory during aerial refueling. During their second landing attempt at Naval Air Station North Island, they encountered a wet runway with tailwind conditions that prevented adequate deceleration. The pilot, noting mushy brakes and insufficient runway, initiated ejection. Both crew members were rescued by a nearby fishing boat with minor injuries. The unmanned aircraft climbed to 8,000 feet before nose-diving into the harbor channel, representing a $109 million loss.
Read at www.sandiegouniontribune.com
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