VMFAT-501 F-35B. Photo: USMC
FoxTrot Alpha: What We Know About the F-35's First Crash
Twelve years after its first flight, a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter finally crashed last week. The aircraft, a Marine Corps F-35B variant, went down in South Carolina near a key F-35 base. The incident overshadowed another F-35 milestone that took place the same day, the first takeoffs and landing of the F-35 from the United Kingdom’s newest carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. Here’s all we know so far.
Thankfully, there were no deaths or injuries in the incident which saw the pilot eject to safety. The crash took place on Friday at 11:45 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. According to Military.com, the aircraft crashed on Little Barnwell Island just outside Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. The cause of the crash is unknown and remains under investigation at this time.
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WNU Editor: The neighbors are concerned .... Marine F-35 crash reignites community concerns around MCAS Miramar (San Diego Union Tribune).
