The pilot said he ejected at approximately 2,000 feet. (File Photo/Reuters)
The pilot of the F-35 fighter jet, that went missing last week, ejected from it due to an "aircraft failure" and called the emergency number 911 after landing in a resident's garden. The BBC said that the unidentified pilot was flying over Charleston, South Carolina, when the aircraft encountered a snag and he ejected. The audio of the 911 call has now been released in which the pilot is heard saying he was "not sure" where the $100m plane was.
The owner of the house is also heard explaining that the pilot had landed in his backyard.
The pilot said he felt "Okay" after ejecting at approximately 2,000 feet and only his back hurt.
"Ma'am, a military jet crashed. I'm the pilot. We need to get rescue rolling," the pilot said, as per the transcript of the four-minute call published by the BBC.
"I'm not sure where the airplane is. It would have crash landed somewhere. I ejected," he further said.
The pilot also asked for an ambulance. The owner of the house also said that the pilot needed medical attention.
"I guess he landed in my backyard. We're trying to see if we could get an ambulance to the house, please," the man said in the 911 call.
The pilot was later taken to hospital for medical care.
The BBC report said it is unclear how the plane kept lying after the pilot's ejection. The Marine Corps, however, said that its flight control software may have helped it remain level even without a pilot's hands on the controls.
Debris from the jet was discovered on Monday, a day after it went missing. The debris field was found in Williamsburg County, South Carolina.
After the news of the F-35 missing surfaced, US Marines issued an order to ground all Marine Corps aircraft, both within and outside the United States.
The Pentagon, in a statement, clarified that this operational pause is aimed at providing units with the opportunity to engage in discussions regarding aviation safety matters and to share best practices.