San Diego

A crewman on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk was killed when he was struck by an aircraft as it was taking off, the Navy reported Wednesday. The carrier was involved in exercises off the coast of Southern California Tuesday night when the accident occurred, said Navy spokesman Fred Larsen.

The sailor, identified Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Apprentice Daniel M. Dixon of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., apparently was killed instantly when he was struck by the landing gear of the plane as it was being catapulted from the flight deck, Larsen said. Efforts by a Navy search and rescue team to locate the man’s remains were unsuccessful.