What happened
During a routine local training mission operating out of Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, an unexpected explosion occurred while the aircraft was in flight. An improvised explosive device, which had been attached to the underside of the right wing, detonated during the mission. The force of the blast caused the right wing to separate from the fuselage.
Following the structural failure, the aircraft descended into the ocean near the naval air station. There were no survivors of the accident; the crash resulted in nine fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary cause of the mid-air breakup was the detonation of a bomb attached to the right wing of the aircraft.