An Air Force F-35 pilot was on the phone midair with Lockheed Martin engineers for nearly an hour attempting to resolve a landing gear issue before ultimately having to eject from the jet, according to a newly released accident investigation report.
On Jan. 28, an F-35A Lightning II crashed during a scheduled training event at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, and was captured on video bursting into a massive fireball and showering debris on the airfield. The pilot received minor injuries and was transported to Bassett Army Community Hospital in Fairbanks, Military.com previously reported.
“The [F-35] debris was contained within airfield boundaries on Eielson AFB,” the report said. “The pilot successfully ejected, and emergency responders were at the scene within a minute.”
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The 39-page crash report, released this week, detailed the circumstances of the fiery crash, which completely destroyed the F-35, valued at $196.5 million. The incident came just weeks after Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin announced a service-wide focus on safety standards in January.
Accident Investigation Board president Col. Michael Lewis identified the cause of the mishap as “hydraulic fluid contaminated by water that froze” in the nose landing gear and main landing gear struts, the report said. As a result of the frozen water, the landing gear struts weren’t fully extended, causing the jet's “Weight on Wheels” sensors to believe the aircraft was on the ground when it was airborne.
The pilot then “initiated a conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers,” and the aircraft “held for approximately 50 minutes while the team developed a plan of action,” the report noted.
Those on the call advised the pilot, who attempted two touch-and-go landings, to land the aircraft by centering the nose landing gear wheel.
“After the second touch-and-go, all valid Weight on Wheels (WoW) sensors indicated that the [aircraft] was on the ground, and the [F-35] transitioned to the ‘on ground’ flight control law,” the report said. “However, because the [jet] was actually airborne, it was uncontrollable.”
The pilot subsequently ejected. Lewis praised those who were on the call, saying they "admirably dealt with a challenging situation that had not been seen in the F-35 fleet previously.” But he also said other options would have been more favorable, referencing an April 2024 Lockheed Martin notice that said weight on wheel sensor issues could lead to problems controlling the aircraft.
“Had the [conference call] participants considered this potential outcome, they likely would have advised a planned full-stop landing or a controlled ejection instead of a second touch-and-go,” the report said.
Lewis also pointed to a “lack of adherence to maintenance procedures” by airmen in charge of hazardous materials at the base's 355th Fighter Squadron. The report pointed out that airmen had stored hydraulic barrels outside while deployed to Kadena Air Base in Japan, and while deployed to at least one other temporary duty station away from Eielson Air Force Base, “barrels were exposed to humid conditions and inclement weather.”
The report points to “an overall lack of discipline” and “poor recordkeeping” among the hazmat airmen.
The incident was just weeks removed from Allvin’s call for a renewed push on safety procedures and uniform standards. Allvin informed troops last year that the service had lost 47 airmen and $1.5 billion in material and weapon systems through preventable mishaps over just 12 months, Military.com previously reported.
Allvin suddenly announced his retirement earlier this month and is set to leave his role as the service’s top uniformed leader later this year.
Related: Video Shows Air Force F-35 Fighter Exploding in Fireball at Eielson Base in Alaska
