The Navy recently returned some of its Goshawk training jets to the skies after a two-week safety pause but still is evaluating the airworthiness of the remaining planes, according to the service.
T-45C flights resumed July 24, a Navy statement Thursday said. That decision came after a determination that a portion of the fleet could safely restart operations, Navy spokesman Lt. John Lobkowicz said in the statement.
It was unclear Friday how many of the tandem jets had been deemed safe for flight and how many remained on the ground. But the service has about 149 of them, USNI News reported in May.
Goshawks primarily are used to train Navy and Marine aircraft carrier pilots. The Navy is considering replacing the aging class, which has been operational since 1991, according to USNI.
The fleet was grounded July 10 after a Goshawk assigned to Training Air Wing 2, based in Kingsville, Texas, experienced an in-flight engine malfunction after takeoff from Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport.
The plane made an emergency landing at Meacham Airport in Fort Worth with the pilot reporting no injuries, the Navy said.
But a subsequent engine inspection revealed unspecified damage. The incident remains under investigation by the Chief of Naval Air Training and Naval Air Systems Command, the service said.
In April, the Navy grounded the fleet after a Goshawk assigned to Training Air Wing 1 experienced an engine malfunction related to a blade fault, USNI reported. The planes were cleared to fly again on May 9.
Goshawk flights also were put on a two-week safety pause in 2022 after a blade failure in the turbofan engine.