Second F-35 crash this year prompts investigation into cause of mishap.
A US Navy pilot is „safe” after their F-35 crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore on Wednesday evening, according to a Navy spokesperson.
Incident Details
„NAS Lemoore can confirm an aviation incident on the Operations side of the installation. At around 6:30 pm, an F-35C attached to the VFA-125 ‘Rough Raiders’ went down not far from NAS Lemoore. NAS Lemoore can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe and there are no additional affected personnel,” the Navy spokesperson said.
Rapid Response
Video shared by the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office showed a blazing fire amid a large cotton field north of NAS Lemoore as first responders rushed to the scene of the crash. The air station is located in central California, about 40 miles southwest of Fresno, and is home to VFA-125, a fleet replacement squadron established in 2017 to train new F-35C pilots and crew.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the crash in California is under investigation and it could take months, if not longer, to determine the cause of the mishap.
Second F-35 Crash This Year
This is the second F-35 to crash this year. In January, an F-35A operated by the US Air Force crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The pilot also ejected safely.
International Mishaps
An F-35B operated by the United Kingdom had a mishap in June when it reportedly became separated from its aircraft carrier in bad weather and had to divert to Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
F-35 Program Challenges
The F-35 is operated by the US and has 19 international customers, though the jet suffers from disappointing readiness rates. Recently manufactured stealth fighters equipped with a comprehensive upgrade have also still not been cleared for combat by the Pentagon. The F-35 program has also seen recent leadership changes in industry and government.
