F-35 Crash: Pilot Ejects After Failed Landing Attempt

An F-35 pilot faced a dire situation when he spent nearly 50 minutes communicating with engineers before being forced to eject from the $200 million aircraft. This incident occurred at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, ending with the jet crashing into the runway.

A video of the crash, posted on social media, shows the jet spiraling down on January 28th, leading to a fire, though the pilots managed to parachute to safety.

Reports indicate that the crash stemmed from ice forming in the F-35’s nose and hydraulic lines, which prevented the main landing gear from deploying properly.

After taking off, the pilot couldn’t pull up the landing gear, as it was misaligned and not locked, leading to significant complications during the attempted landing.

As the jet descended near the base, the pilot reached out to five Lockheed Martin engineers for assistance, engaging in near hour-long discussions.

Attempts to perform “touch and go” landings to free the landing gear ultimately failed, resulting in the gear freezing entirely. By that point, the sensors in the aircraft indicated it was in contact with the ground, but it was actually out of control.

Inspections by the Air Force found that one-third of the fluid in the nose hydraulic system was water, a troubling discovery.

Interestingly, a similar issue had occurred just nine days before at the same base, though that instance did not result in a crash. On the day of the incident, temperatures had plummeted to -1 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to concerns about icy conditions.

The investigation highlighted various shortcomings related to decision-making and monitoring hazardous substances, which all contributed to the unfortunate event.

Lockheed Martin, responsible for manufacturing the F-35, has been criticized for compromising quality during production, pushing up costs and creating inefficiencies.

The price of these fighters has been dropping recently, with reports indicating costs of approximately $135.8 million per unit in 2021, potentially reducing to $81 million by 2024.

In November, Elon Musk, the former head of government efficiency, openly criticized the Pentagon’s F-35 program for its financial mismanagement and complex design, emphasizing that such manned aircraft are becoming outdated in the current drone-focused military landscape.

Despite expectations for the F-35 program to last until 2088, projections suggest that overall costs may exceed $2 trillion, raising questions about the program’s sustainability.