T-45s collide over Texas; pilots safe

Two Navy T-45C Goshawk training jets, flying out of NAS Kingsville, Texas, collided in mid-air about 10 miles south of the base in Ricardo, Texas, around 11 a.m. on May 17. The two sets of student and instructor pilots survived. One of the jets was able to land at NASK. The other T-45 pilots ejected safely, according to a statement on the Chief of Naval Air Training's Facebook page. The two jet trainers are assigned to Training Squadron (VT) 22. One of the pilots was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital-Kleberg for minor injuries. The incident is currently under investigation. The T-45C is the training jet new pilots use in flight school, before they begin training on the aircraft type that they’ll fly in the fleet. (Source: USNI News 05/17/21) Gulf Coast Note: VT squadrons at NAS Meridian, Miss., and NAS Pensacola, Fla., also fly the T-45 Goshawk. Two Navy T-45 Trainers Crash in Texas; All 4 Pilots Safe, 1 Treated for Minor Injuries - USNI News 

UPDATE;: In DoD contracts released May 18, Lone Star Aerospace, Addison, Texas, was awarded a $7,799,797 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00013) to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract (N0042116D0012). This modification increases the ceiling to continue to address T-45 engine availability shortages that are adversely affecting the ability to train student naval aviators by utilizing existing modeling tools and subject matter experts, enabling the identification of focused improvements in depot-level engine maintenance procedures, including suboptimal production system flow, lack of trained manpower, high personnel turnover, coordination, communication, and prioritization of tasks. Work will be performed in Addison, Texas (99%); and Patuxent River, Maryland (1%), and is expected to be completed in October 2021. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. (Source: DoD awarded May 17, 2021)