The Navy’s Super Hornets and Growler aircraft have been allowed to resume normal operations after a temporary pause went into effect on Friday, the Navy said.
The pause affected all of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. Naval Air Forces grounded the fleet’s aircraft on Friday following an accident that ended in injuries.
According to the Naval Safety Center, the closed canopy of an EA-18G belonging to VAQ-132 “exploded on flight line during normal operations.” The Navy statement said a pilot and an electronic warfare officer were both injured after the accident at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
An investigation into the accident identified several different factors that likely contributed to the accident, and “mitigation measures” were implemented across the Super Hornet and Growler fleet. The two types of jets are based on a similar airframe.
Squadrons need to be briefed and then fix those problems before resuming flying operations.
“The mitigation measures include changes to aircraft water-wash procedures and updates to the Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS) ground emergency procedures,” the statement read.
