A landing operation off the Virginia coast ended in a mishap on Sept. 28 when pilots from Carrier Air Wing 3 were forced to abandon their aircraft. Two naval aviators ejected from an unidentified dual-seat jet at approximately 6:18 p.m. EDT and were recovered by search-and-rescue personnel. Four shipboard personnel sustained injuries during the incident, including one sailor who was transported to a Norfolk-area hospital for non-life-threatening treatment.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower had departed Norfolk just hours before the accident to begin flight qualifications after repairs to the ship concluded in July. The Navy has not yet identified whether the aircraft was an F/A-18F Super Hornet or an EA-18G Growler, and the cause of the event remains under investigation.