Navy pauses T-45C Goshawk fleet operations after ‘engine malfunction’

The Navy issued a pause on operations for its T-45C Goshawk jet trainer fleet this month, following an engine failure on April 12.

The incident, which is under investigation, involved a T-45C Goshawk from Training Air Wing 1 that suffered an “in-flight engine malfunction,” according to Chief of Naval Air Training spokeswoman Anne Owens. The aircraft completed a precautionary landing in Hesler-Noble Field in Laurel, Mississippi in response.

“CNATRA is investigating the incident as [Naval Air Systems Command] spearheads the engineering investigation,” Owens said in an email to Navy Times. “Out of an abundance of caution, operations of all T-45C Goshawk aircraft have been paused while CNATRA, Naval Air Forces, and NAVAIR assess the fleet’s ability to safely resume flying.”

No injuries were reported, and the Navy is evaluating the amount of engine damage present in the aircraft, Owens said.

RELATED

Navy grounds T-45 Goshawk fleet over engine blade failure

The so-called “safety pause” began Friday but was not announced by the Navy until Tuesday.

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

Naval Safety Command also reported an engine malfunction at takeoff from a T-45 based out of Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi on March 18, prompting the crew to conduct a high-speed abort. No injuries were reported in that case.

According to Owens, the two incidents are not believed to be related. Both were categorized as Class A mishaps, which the Navy stipulates involve death, or $2.5 million or more in damages, or the destruction of an aircraft.

The grounding marks the second for the Goshawk fleet since October 2022, when the Navy paused operations for the T-45 fleet “to review an engine blade fault.” Operations resumed less than three weeks later in that case.

The Navy and Marine Corps utilize the T-45 for its pilot training program for jet carrier aviation and tactical strike missions. The Navy first introduced the T-45C variant to the fleet in 1997.