--- title: "Watch Crew Eject From An Australian Super Hornet After An Aborted Takeoff" description: "Both pilots ejected successfully before the fighter jet ended up nose-down in the grass alongside the runway." date: "2020-12-08" modified: "2020-12-09" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick.md" url: "https://www.twz.com/38025/watch-crew-eject-from-an-australian-super-hornet-after-an-aborted-takeoff" categories: - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Around The Globe" - "Australia" - "F/A-18" - "Fighters" - "Indo-Pacific" - "News & Features" - "Royal Air Force" tags: - "Accident" - "AIM-120" - "Amberley" - "AMRAAM" - "Boeing" - "EA-18G" - "ejection" - "F/A-18F" - "F/A-18F Super Hornet" - "Growler" - "Mishap" - "parachutes" - "Queensland" - "RAAF" - "Royal Australian Air Force" - "Super Hornet" - "takeoff" --- # Watch Crew Eject From An Australian Super Hornet After An Aborted Takeoff ![]() *www.twz.com* Two Royal Australian Air Force aviators ejected safely from their [F/A-18F Super Hornet]() fighter jet after an aborted takeoff at RAAF Base Amberley today. Video and photos of the incident show that the jet came off the runway and seemed to have ended up with some damage to its nose gear. The Super Hornet, which [some sources]() have identified as serial number A44-223, was preparing to depart Amberley on a north-south axis on the afternoon of December 8, local time, when the accident occurred. It was [reportedly]() the third aircraft within a group of around seven jets that were leaving for a training exercise. The Australian Department of Defense [confirmed]() that both of the crew members are safe and that no other personnel were involved in the incident. “Defence \[the Australian Department of Defence\] will provide more information once the immediate actions associated with the incident are completed,” a spokesperson for the Department [told Australia’s *ABC*](). “The cause of the incident is not known at this time and will be subject to investigation.” One eyewitness told the [*Sydney Morning Herald*]() that, as it got close to the end of the runway, the jet involved in the mishap “appeared to suffer some kind of engine failure,” but this cannot currently be confirmed. Onlookers said they saw the crew eject from the Super Hornet as it was about to take off and two parachutes can be seen deployed in a video, seen below, that subsequently emerged online. https://youtube.com/embed/nTOz93h4eQ8 The video also shows that the Super Hornet, which wears the markings of the Royal Australian Air Force’s No. 6 Squadron on its tail, carrying an [AIM-120 AMRAAM]() air-to-air missile under each wing, as well as a single AIM-9X and air combat maneuvering instrumentation pod in addition to two external fuel tanks. It’s not clear from the footage if the missiles were live. An additional image that appeared on social media of the aftermath of the accident shows scorch marks from the ejection seats on the sides of the forward fuselage of the Super Hornet, while the nose gear has either collapsed or sunk into the ground, with the jet ending up in a nose-down attitude on the side of the runway. Crash tenders are also seen on the scene, which is standard procedure, and there are no indications that there was any fire. https://twitter.com/_/status/1336196077901340673 Australia has a fleet of 24 F/A-18Fs, all based at Amberley. This fleet achieved full operational capability in December 2012 and the jets have since participated in combat missions including [Operation Okra](), the Australian Defense Force’s contribution to operations over Iraq and Syria. ![message-editor%2F1607438010480-20190925raaf8194170\_0133.jpg]() *F/A-18F Super Hornets from No. 1 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, undergo maintenance on the flight line., *Australian Department of Defense** In addition, the Royal Australian Air Force operates 12 [EA-18G Growler]() electronic attack aircraft, one of which was involved in a serious incident at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in January 2018. On that occasion, the Growler burst into flames and skidded off the runway. You can read more about the causes of that incident [here](). At this time, the cause of today’s Super Hornet incident is still unknown, but we will update this story as more information becomes available. ***Update, 11:35pm:** According to Andrew Greene, Defence Correspondent for Australian national broadcaster ABC, Australia’s Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, has confirmed that the entire RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets have been grounded pending an investigation into the incident at Amberley.* https://twitter.com/_/status/1336439234660499456 *Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()