An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Press Releases
Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic

Unified Command Safely De-Fuels E-2D Hawkeye from Fatal Wallops Island Crash

by Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Public Affairs
03 April 2022

Interagency members assigned to the unified command supporting salvage operations for the Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye that crashed in the vicinity of Wallops Island and Chincoteague safely de-fueled the aircraft April 2.

 

The collaborative efforts of the unified command ensured environmental protection measures were in place, which resulted in the safe and successful removal of JP-5 fuel.

 

“The combined expertise spanning numerous federal, state, and local entities allowed us to complete this significant milestone as planned while ensuring we had the environmental safeguards in place to protect the local ecosystem throughout the entirety of the de-fueling process,” said Mr. Alan Kersnick, the Navy on-scene coordinator. “We greatly appreciate the continued support of our interagency partners, and especially the local community, as we recover our aircraft following this tragic event.”

 

The unified command consists of subject matter experts spanning numerous commands and organizations to include: U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Chincoteague Emergency Management services.

 

The U.S. Navy continues to coordinate with state and local officials on the salvage planning efforts of the E-2D aircraft. The health and safety of the local community is a top priority during recovery efforts which includes overflight aircraft confirming no pollution or discharge of fuel in the area. Salvage operations are expected to proceed in accordance with standard procedures which consider all environmental impacts.

 

The E-2D aircraft, attached to Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 120, crashed March 30. The mishap, which left one service member dead and two injured remains under investigation.

 

The mission of VAW-120 is to fly and train Naval Aviators, Naval Flight Officers, and Naval Aircrew to safely and effectively operate E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft.

 

The E-2 Hawkeye flight training that occurs on Wallops Island is critical to maintaining readiness to support national security.

 

“NASA Wallops and Chincoteague serve as a key location vital to successful training of Hawkeye pilots. Our partnership with the community enables the requisite training that allows our pilots and aircrews to be worldwide deployable to support our collective defense,” said Cmdr. Martin Fentress Jr., Commanding Officer of VAW-120. “As a Norfolk native and someone who has a close connection with the Eastern Shore since childhood, I am eternally grateful for the outpouring of love from Chincoteague and the rapid response from numerous agencies who helped our pilots when it was needed most.”


 
Navy.mil  |  Navy.com  |  Navy FOIA  |  DoD Accessibility/Section 508  |  No Fear Act  |  Open Government  |  Plain Writing Act 
USA.gov  |  Veterans Crisis Line  |  VA Vet Center  |  FVAPDoD Safe Helpline  |  Navy SAPR  |  NCIS Tips  |  Site Map  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Webmaster | Information quality | Public Use notice | Useful Links
 
Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic  |  1562 Mitscher Ave., Suite 300  |   Norfolk, Virginia 23551-2427  |   Contact AIRLANT 
Official U.S. Navy Website