The 2nd Marine Plane Wing launched its command investigation on Thursday into how an F-35B fighter jet crashed with its transponder off and went lacking in South Carolina final 12 months. The report concludes that the pilot incorrectly decided that the F-35 was uncontrolled and ejected from the airplane too quickly. The jet flew for 11 minutes and 21 seconds after the ejection earlier than crashing.
The pilot tried to land the F-35 at Joint Base Charleston utilizing devices throughout a heavy thunderstorm on September 17, 2023. The ejection occurred throughout a climb-out after a missed method. The Marine Corps discovered that {an electrical} malfunction occurred in the course of the flight, inflicting the helmet-mounted show and panoramic cockpit show to close off not less than thrice. This malfunction additionally took out the tactical air navigation system, the instrument touchdown system, each radios and the transponder. Nonetheless, the USMC deemed the airplane was nonetheless flyable. A launch abstract states:
“The investigation concluded that the mishap occurred because of pilot error. The pilot incorrectly identified an out-of-controlled flight emergency and ejected from a flyable plane, albeit throughout a heavy rainstorm compounded with plane electrical and show malfunctions.”
How flyable was the F-35B? The jet flew for 73.6 miles earlier than crashing right into a rural space. The investigation discovered that the airplane stayed airborne for therefore lengthy with nobody on the controls due to its superior flight management techniques. Nonetheless, the airplane’s failed transponder and radar-avoiding stealth know-how meant the crash web site couldn’t be discovered till the following day.
The F-35 has garnered a popularity for being an overpriced, defective fighter jet. The investigation advisable that no punitive actions be taken towards the pilot. Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that navy pilots ought to eject on the first doable signal of hassle. This might have been a very completely different report if the jet had flown unmanned right into a residential space.
