- US Air Force F-35 pilot ejected after 50 minutes on call troubleshooting mid-air malfunction
- Ice in hydraulic lines caused nose and main landing gear failure on Alaska runway approach
- Pilot tried two touch and go landings but sensors falsely indicated aircraft was on ground
A US Air Force F-35 pilot was forced to eject from a fighter jet after spending 50 minutes on a conference call mid-air with engineers, trying to resolve a critical malfunction before the aircraft crashed onto an Alaska runway.
Footage shared on social media shows the jet spiralling toward the runway earlier this year before bursting into flames. The pilot was seen floating safely to the ground using a parachute.
Ice in the hydraulic lines of the nose and main landing gears caused the crash by preventing proper deployment, according to a CNN-obtained report. After takeoff, the pilot tried to retract the landing gear but failed. When lowering it again, the nose gear locked at a left angle.
As the pilot attempted to fix the issue, the jet reacted as if it were on the ground. He then joined a call with five Lockheed Martin engineers while flying near the base, spending nearly an hour troubleshooting the problem.
The pilot attempted two "touch and go" landings to straighten the jammed nose gear, but both failed, freezing the landing gears entirely.
The jet's sensors indicated it was on the ground, making the aircraft "uncontrollable" and forcing the pilot to eject.
An Air Force inspection found that one-third of the hydraulic fluid in the nose and right main landing gears contained water. Nine days later, a similar "hydraulic icing" problem occurred at the same base, though that jet landed safely. The crash happened in temperatures of -18 degree Celsius.
The report concluded that "crew decision-making, including those on the in-flight conference call," and insufficient "oversight for the hazardous material program" contributed to the incident.
Lockheed Martin's F-35 programme has faced criticism for production shortcuts and high costs. The jet's price dropped from roughly $135.8 million in 2021 to $81 million in 2024 under a preliminary deal with the US Department of Defence.
The F-35 programme is projected to continue through 2088, with total costs expected to exceed $2 trillion, according to the US Government Accountability Office.
