Two Navy training jets collide over South Texas, 1 person injured

Authorities are investigating a Monday collision between two Navy training jets over South Texas that left one person with minor injuries. 

The official Twitter account of the chief of Naval Air Training, based in Corpus Christi, Texas, announced in a thread Monday that two British-built T-45 Goshawk jets collided in mid-air over Ricardo, Texas, around 11 a.m. local time. 

The crash, which occurred about 50 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, resulted in the instructor and student pilot on one of the aircraft being “safely ejected,” while the other jet was able to safely land at nearby Naval Air Station Kingsville, according to the Twitter thread. 

The Naval Air Training account added that “One pilot was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg for minor injuries.”

“The incident is currently under investigation and the U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities,” it added. 

The post then included a number for community members to report any aircraft debris that may have resulted from the collision, adding that members of the general public should not “attempt to move or touch any aircraft debris.” 

One pilot was taken to CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Kleberg for minor injuries. The incident is currently under investigation and the U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with local authorities.

— Naval Air Training (@CNATRA) May 17, 2021

The correct phone number to report aircraft debris is (361) 516-6306.

— Naval Air Training (@CNATRA) May 18, 2021

Cmdr. Zach Harrell, spokesman for Commander, Naval Air Forces, told The Hill that the injured person had been treated and released from the hospital by Monday evening. 

Harrell added that the department could not comment on any speculation on what may have caused the collision, with the investigation expected to last anywhere from one to six months. 

The Texas collision comes as the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are looking into a mid-air collision that occurred last week between a small plane and a regional air freighter. 

Aviation experts have noted that an airplane parachute deployed following the mid-air collision in Denver likely prevented the incident from leading to any deaths.