Navy Says Aircraft Malfunctioned, Two Sailors Suffer Minor Injuries

The U.S. Navy says that an aerial target drone malfunctioned and struck guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) off the coast of Southern California at approximately 1325 PST Nov. 16, while the ship was conducting a radar tracking exercise during routine training at sea.

No Sailors were seriously injured, but two Sailors were treated for minor burns. The Navy says the ship remained capable of operations; however it did sustain some damage. The Navy is investigating the cause of the malfunction.

The Navy confirmed that the UAV was a was a Northrop Grumman BQM-74 with a wingspan of about six feet and an overall length of about 13 feet. It was being controlled out of NAS Point Magu, according to television station KGTV in San Diego.  

The station said the UAV had flown out to the exercise area from Point Magu. The ship is now back at San Diego Harbor where the damage is being assessed.

Reuters reports that there were about 300 people on board the Chancellorsville at the time of the accident.

(BQM-74 UAV pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.navy.mil