Two US Navy T-45 Goshawk training jets collided in mid-air near Ricardo in Texas, United States, on May 17, 2021.
The two aircraft belonged to the Training Squadron 22 (VT-22), based at Naval Air Station Kingsville in Texas.
“One aircraft was able to safely land at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas, and the other aircraft’s instructor and student pilot safely ejected about nine miles south of Kingsville in Ricardo, Texas,” the Chief of Naval Air Training reported in a statement. “One pilot was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg for minor injuries.”
The trainer from which the pilots ejected was written off. The extent of damage on the other aircraft is unknown. An investigation was opened by the US Navy to determine the causes of the collision.
The McDonnell-Douglas T-45 Goshawk is the navalized version of the British BAe Hawk trainer. For the past 30 years, it has been used for advanced training of US Navy pilots for landing and attack missions. In 2020, the US Department of Defense opened a request for information regarding a future training jet intended to operate from its aircraft carriers and land bases.
