ABOARD THE USS CONSTELLATION April 1 —
A plane veered off the USS Constellation's flight deck and
slipped into the water during landing Tuesday. The two pilots
ejected into the water and were rescued by helicopter.
The S-3B Viking airplane, which is generally used for
anti-submarine warfare, malfunctioned, military officials said in a
statement. After being rescued, both pilots were able to walk off
the helicopter, although one was carried away on a stretcher. Both
were being evaluated for minor injuries, officials said.
Their names were not released.
In addition to anti-submarine warfare, S-3B Vikings are used for
surveillance and precision targeting and for refueling other planes.
The plane was part of the VS-38 squadron on USS Constellation, known
as "Red Griffins."
The aircraft also is equipped for tanking, mining and limited
electronic surveillance. The sound of its engines are often compared
to that of a vacuum cleaner, hence its nickname, the "Hoover."
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