[SinisterNm]

A Lockheed Martin-owned F-35B Joint Strike Fighter experienced a dramatic crash at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, during a vertical takeoff exercise. The incident occurred on the anniversary of the F-35's first flight in 2006. Fortunately, the pilot ejected safely in what was a stark demonstration of the jet's ejection seat capabilities.

The crash happened shortly before 10:15 AM local time. Initial reports indicate that the F-35B was performing a hovering maneuver when it began to drop vertically, touching down on the runway before bouncing into the air and then descending nose-first. The aircraft's nose gear broke off upon impact, causing the jet to spin onto the grass, whereupon the pilot ejected. This incident served as an unplanned but effective demonstration of the Martin-Baker US16E ejection seat's "zero-zero" capabilities, designed to function even when the aircraft is on the ground and stationary.

Lockheed Martin, in a statement to The War Zone, acknowledged the crash and emphasized that safety is their priority, indicating that an appropriate investigation protocol will be followed. The public affairs officer at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base directed further inquiries to Lockheed Martin.

White Settlement Police, along with U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin personnel, secured the crash site. Chief Christopher Cook of the White Settlement Police reported that the jet suffered a malfunction leading to the pilot's ejection. The pilot's condition beyond the successful ejection was not immediately known.

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed the crash and the pilot's safe ejection at a routine press conference. He noted that a U.S. government pilot was operating the jet, which was destined for delivery to the U.S. government, though the specific intended customer remains undisclosed.

[Hunted]

wonder what took him so long to eject

[ride]

Originally Posted by Hunted ↗

wonder what took him so long to eject

I know that I’m single-task only until I finish taking a shit, that may hold true for our featured pilot as well.

[WonderMomma]

An F-35B fighter crash that occurred at Fort Worth Air Force Base in Texas while practicing vertical takeoff.

etails are still coming in, but a Lockheed Martin-owned F-35B Joint Strike Fighter has ended up nose-down off the side of the runway at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas after a mishap earlier today. Local first responders say the aircraft's pilot ejected safely during the incident, which comes on the anniversary of the F-35's first flight in 2006.

While the exact circumstances of the mishap remain unclear, video has emerged, seen below, showing the F-35B in hover when it begins to drop vertically. After initially touching down, the jet then bounces back up into the air, and then comes down again nose first hitting the runway hard. The nose gear is seen breaking off entirely before the aircraft spins onto the grass, at which point the pilot ejects. It is worth pointing out that this was a demonstration of the so-called "zero-zero" capabilities of the jet's Martin-Baker US16E ejection seat, with it safely functioning with aircraft on the ground and essentially stopped.

"We are aware of the F-35B crash on the shared runway at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth and understand that the pilot ejected successfully," according to a statement that Lockheed Martin gave to The War Zone. "Safety is our priority, and we will follow appropriate investigation protocol."

When contacted for additional details, a public affairs officer at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth also directed us to contact the company.

The mishap involving the F-35 occurred sometime shortly before 10:15 AM local time, which is when the nearby White Settlement Police were called to the scene, according to a report from NBC DFW, a local NBC affiliate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. White Settlement Police officers along with U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin personnel secured the scene, White Settlement Police Chief Christoper Cook told that outlet.

"According to Cook, a Lockheed-owned jet suffered some sort of malfunction that forced the pilot to eject the aircraft," NBC DFW reported. "Cook said the pilot safely ejected but had no other information about the pilot's condition."

At a routine press conference today, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder further confirmed the crash and that the pilot had ejected safely. He added that a U.S. government pilot was at the controls at the time and that the F-35B in question was to be delivered to the U.S. government, but did not say specifically who the final intended customer might be.

Lockheed Martin's main F-35 production facility in Fort Worth shares the runway with Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth.

While there is no indication that the two incidents are in any way related, this does follow an incident two weeks ago involving a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B, which suffered a nose gear collapse after making an emergency landing at Kadena Air Base on the Japanese island of Okinawa.

Today is also the anniversary of the first flight of the F-35A, which occurred on Dec. 15, 2006. The first time an F-35B variant took to the air was on June 11, 2008.

[Kaboom]

Ground proximity warning refered to the pilot as he so that person got mad then ejected.

[durt]

If he waited a little longer he could have stayed seated, and saved the injuries of a low level ejection
Looked like he hit pretty hard.

[Gore Whore]

What kind of cunt even fucks up that hard!

[Tsar Bomba]

Well that's an 80 Million dollar fuck-up that will be coming out of our pockets...

[houseoftechno]

Originally Posted by Hunted ↗

wonder what took him so long to eject

The grounded jet was initially grinding along at an angle between one rear wheel and a wingtip. Looks like pilot was able to roll the jet upright onto both rear wheels, then eject, so he could launch vertically and get more height to fill his parachute.

[pa28Pilot]

That's what I call a case of premature ejection