F-35 pilot held 50-minute airborne conference call with engineers before crash
14 days ago
- #aviation safety
- #F-35 crash
- #hydraulic failure
- A US Air Force F-35 pilot spent 50 minutes on a conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers before ejecting due to a landing gear issue.
- The crash was caused by ice in the hydraulic lines of the F-35's nose and main landing gears, preventing proper deployment.
- The pilot attempted 'touch and go' landings to fix the jammed nose gear, but the landing gears froze, leading to an uncontrollable situation.
- The F-35's sensors mistakenly indicated the jet was on the ground, switching to 'automated ground-operation mode' while airborne.
- Inspection revealed water contamination in the hydraulic systems, which should have had no water.
- A similar hydraulic icing issue was found in another F-35 at the same base nine days later, but that jet landed safely.
- Lockheed Martin had issued guidance on cold-weather sensor issues nine months before the crash, but it wasn't referenced during the incident.
- Contributing factors included crew decision-making, lack of oversight in the hazardous material program, and improper hydraulics servicing procedures.