2007 USS Harry S. Truman E2C crash

At 11:10 p.m. on August 15, 2007, an E-2 Hawkeye crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of North Carolina 10 seconds after taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman. All three crewmen on the aircraft were killed.

The aircraft, designated Greyhawk 620, was crewed by Lieutenant Ryan Betton, 31, instructor pilot and aircraft commander, Lieutenant Cameron Hall, 30, combat information control officer, and Lieutenant Junior Grade Jerry Smith, 25, copilot. Smith was making his first night catapult takeoff from a carrier. The aircraft and crew were from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 120.

A Navy Judge Advocate General investigative report into The crash, released on August 25, 2008 reported that the aircraft, crewed by Betton and Hall, had experienced a problem with its angle-of-attack indicator the previous day. The third person aboard that flight, name unknown, told investigators the indicator erroneously read too high while the plane was on a two-mile straight-in approach for landing. Maintenance personnel gave a different account, telling investigators they thought the problem occurred during the catapult launch. Maintenance was unable to duplicate the problem with the indicator and asked the crew to conduct further evaluation on the next flight. No known records were kept at the time of the maintenance discussions.

After launching at 11:10 p.m. on August 15, the aircraft ascended for five seconds, then descended and crashed into the ocean. The crew's three flight helmets were recovered, but no bodies but remains have been found.