Moment $100M F-35 stealth fighter CRASHES into runway after undercarriage collapses
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Dramatic moment $100 million F-35 stealth fighter CRASHES on runway when landing gear collapses while being towed in Japan
- A $100 million F-35 stealth fighter jet crashed on the runway while being towed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan on December 1, 2022, around 2 p.m.
- Made a precautionary landing due to possible electrical problems
- After landing on the runway, the crews began towing the aircraft when the front wheel, which can be retracted under the cockpit, suddenly collapsed.
- The aircraft slowly nose-slammed into the runway, but it does not appear that a pilot was inside the aircraft at the time.
- It is unclear how much damage the accident caused and the US Marine Corps is investigating.
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A $100 million F-35 stealth fighter jet has crashed on the runway while being towed in Japan after its front wheel collapsed.
The US Navy Fighter Attack Squadron aircraft made a precautionary landing at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, on December 1 for possible electrical problems around 2 p.m., according to the Aviator.
After landing on the runway, the crews began towing the aircraft when the front wheel, which can be retracted under the cockpit, suddenly collapsed.
The aircraft slowly crashed nose-first into the runway, while the pole attached to the towing vehicle dragged along the ground, leaving the aircraft behind.
It doesn’t look like there was anyone on the plane when it crashed.
It is unclear how much damage the accident caused and the US Marine Corps is investigating.
A $100 million F-35 stealth fighter jet crashed on the runway while being towed at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan on December 1, 2022, around 2 p.m.
While being towed, the front wheel collapsed and the aircraft fell on its nose.
Earlier this summer, the Air Force grounded its fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to check for any faulty components that might prevent the pilots from taking off safely.
An Air Force spokesman confirmed that this was a temporary suspension order in a statement to DailyMail.com, saying the planes are currently being inspected “to mitigate safety concerns.”
“There is a concern with a component used in the pilot ejection system of various aircraft operated by the US Air Force,” the spokesperson said in July.
Explosive cartridges inside the F-35’s ejection seats that eject the pilot from the aircraft in an emergency had to be inspected.
The Air Force has about 300 F-35s, costing about $78 million each for the latest model.
Air Force F-35s use Martin-Baker ejection seats. In July, the service began an inspection process to determine if any of them were affected by the recall.
‘Out of an abundance of caution, [Air Combat Command] ACC units will make a stop on July 29 to speed up the inspection process,” an ACC spokesperson told DailyMail.com in a statement.
The plane was seen to be towed after landing before going down. Made a precautionary landing due to possible electrical problems and was towed after landing
“Based on the data collected from those inspections, ACC will make a determination to resume operations,” the statement added.
An Air Force spokesman insisted that: “This is a temporary suspension, not a fleet-wide grounding.”
The aircraft re-entered service in August.