A Tought Week For Eglin AFB... Second High-Profile Crash In A Week

Just a few days after an F-22 was lost at the same base, in a training accident, an F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron crashed upon landing around 9:30 p.m. EDT May 19. The pilot successfully ejected and was transported to the 96th Medical Group Hospital for evaluation and monitoring.

The pilot is in stable condition. At the time of the accident, the pilot was participating in a routine night  training sortie. First responders from the 96th Test Wing were on the scene and the site has been secured. The accident is under investigation. There was no loss of life or damage to civilian property. The name of the pilot is not being released this time.

In light of the ejection, the F-35A is probably a write-off... all 90 million bucks worth.

It is the 3rd loss of an F-35.

The first took place Sept. 28, 2018, when an F-35B STOVL version went down near Beaufort, SC. In that case, thankfully, the US Marine pilot safely ejected.

The second occurred April 9, 2019, to a Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-35A. The aircraft went down in the Pacific some 85 miles east of Misawa Air Base, with the fatal accident eventually being blamed on spatial disorientation by the JASDF.

FMI: www.af.mil