THE TENSION: Update 2: Navy Plane Crashes, Search Concludes

FILE PHOTO -- ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 2, 2007) – An E-2C Hawkeye, attached to the "Seahawks" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 126, launches from the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman is underway in the Atlantic Ocean participating in the composite training unit exercise in preparation for deployment to the Persian Gulf. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Justin Lee Losack (RELEASED)

Open Thread:

UPDATED:

The Associated Press reports three aviators on a twin-engine radar plane that crashed off North Carolina's coast have died, the Navy said Friday.

Search crews found debris from the E-2C Hawkeye turbo prop plane but no bodies, said Mike Maus, a spokesman with the Norfolk-based Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force.

"The search has been terminated," Maus said. The aviators were declared dead, he said.

The Navy identified those aboard as Lt. Cameron N. Hall, 30, of Natchitoches, La.; Lt. Ryan K. Betton, 31, of Collinsville, Va.; and Lt. j.g. Jerry R. Smith, 25, of Greenville, Maine.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation.

E-2C Hawkeye Crashes, Navy Conducting Search
2007-08-16
By Commander Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- A Navy E-2C Hawkeye aircraft from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 120 crashed at sea Aug. 15, while conducting operations on the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

Three aviators were aboard the aircraft. An air and sea search is being conducted by units from Harry S. Truman, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The identities of the crew are not being released at this time.

The aircraft crashed at approximately 11:00 p.m. following its launch from Harry S. Truman. The ship was approximately 150 miles southeast of the Virginia Capes conducting routine training operations.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

VAW-120 is the east coast E-2C/C-2A Fleet Replacement Squadron based at Naval Station Norfolk and trains pilots and Naval flight officers in both aircraft before they are assigned to operational fleet squadrons.

The E-2C Hawkeye is a twin-engine turbo prop aircraft used for airborne command, control, and early warning. It normally carries a crew of five including two pilots and three NFOs.