News Brief
US F-35 Fighter Jet Crash In Alaska Traced To Ice In Hydraulic Systems: Report
US Air Force F-35
An official investigation into the US Air Force F-35 fighter jet that crashed in Alaska earlier this year revealed that ice had formed in the hydraulic lines of both the nose and main landing gears, preventing them from deploying correctly, according to a CNN-obtained report.
The accident, which occurred on 28 January at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, was captured on video showing the aircraft plummeting vertically before erupting in flames.
The pilot who was forced to eject after spending nearly an hour on an airborne conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers in a bid to fix a landing gear malfunction had sustained only minor injuries.
After take-off, the pilot had struggled to retract the gear fully, and when attempting to lower it again, the nose wheel locked at an angle.
This malfunction tricked the jet’s systems into believing it was on the ground, ultimately rendering it “uncontrollable.”
The pilot consulted five Lockheed Martin engineers including specialists in landing gear systems via conference call.
Despite checklist reviews and two attempted “touch and go” landing manoeuvres to realign the gear, the jet’s sensors triggered automated ground mode, leaving no option but ejection.
Wreckage analysis revealed water contamination in the hydraulic systems, with one-third of the fluid in both the nose and right main gears found to be water.
Investigators concluded that “crew decision-making including those on the in-flight conference call,” coupled with lapses in hazardous material oversight and servicing procedures, contributed to the crash.
The F-35 is regarded as one of the most advanced fifth-generation warplanes globally.
Valued for its stealth and combat performance, the jet is central to the US military’s air power.
However, despite its technological prowess, the F-35 has faced mounting challenges.
Just last month, another F-35C fighter jet belonging to the US Navy had also crashed in central California, close to Naval Air Station Lemoore.
These developments highlight persistent concerns about the jet’s heavy maintenance demands and questions over its operational readiness.
