Nellis Based Pilot Ejects, Safe

The first operational F/A-22 Raptor crash has taken place at Nellis AFB, after a takeoff incident forced the pilot to eject. The single seat fighter went down off the end of a Nellis runway while its pilot ejected and was seen shortly thereafter "walking around" the impact site.

The F/A-22 that went down was a part of the 53rd Wing's 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron and is one of only 25 Raptors in the USAF inventory, to date. It is one of eight that is specifically assigned to a test program at Nellis and is expected to be approved for combat some time next year. An F-22 went down during landing in the early days of the flight test program in 1992. The pilot survived that accident, as well.

All Raptors have been stood down while the initial crash investigation takes place. It is the second major accident at Nellis in as many months, with a Navy F-18 going down north of the base on November 9th, forcing its pilot to eject, as well.

We also understand that a fire truck, rushing to the scene of the accident, overturned enroute. There were no injuries. More info to follow...

FMI: www.usaf.mil