USMC F-35B Crash - 17 Sep 23
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19th Sep 2023, 06:30
Thread Starter
Early reports say officials are searching for the plane - presumably meaning it did not crash in the immediate area.
Also it might be an F-35C as the USMC fly both.
Also it might be an F-35C as the USMC fly both.
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Few details, however "...No smoke has been reported, which would be an obvious sign that a jet went down. There are no reports of property damage either, so the jet may be at the bottom of the lake...." & "...The pilot and jet are based out of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina...." & '...Details are few as of now, but base PA has confirmed the incident. Talk on the local Charleston dispatch and ATC also note the pilot ejected at 2,000 ft., with last radar contact about 7 miles northeast of Lake Moultrie, a few miles north of the base. The pilot made it out safely, and then showed up about 10 miles away in the middle of a residential neighborhood at a house on South Kenwood Drive in North Charleston...." F-35 Pilot Ejects Over Charleston, Walks to House for Help (avgeekery.com)
If it was based at MCAS Beaufort it will have been a B from VMFAT-501, the unit which experienced the first F-35 (of any type) loss in September 2018.
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Search on for a missing Marine Corps fighter jet in South Carolina after pilot safely ejects 18 Sep 2023
https://apnews.com/article/south-car...818a3f2f28bfac
"NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from a fighter jet over North Charleston on Sunday afternoon and the search for his missing aircraft was focused on two lakes north of North Charleston, military officials said. The pilot ejected and parachuted safely into a North Charleston neighborhood at about 2 p.m. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition, said Maj. Melanie Salinas. The pilot’s name has not been released. Based on the missing plane’s location and trajectory, the search for the F-35 Lightning II jet was focused on Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, said Senior Master Sgt. Heather Stanton at Joint Base Charleston. Both lakes are north of North Charleston....
...The planes and pilots were with the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 based in Beaufort, not far from South Carolina’s Atlantic coast."
https://apnews.com/article/south-car...818a3f2f28bfac
"NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — A Marine Corps pilot safely ejected from a fighter jet over North Charleston on Sunday afternoon and the search for his missing aircraft was focused on two lakes north of North Charleston, military officials said. The pilot ejected and parachuted safely into a North Charleston neighborhood at about 2 p.m. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition, said Maj. Melanie Salinas. The pilot’s name has not been released. Based on the missing plane’s location and trajectory, the search for the F-35 Lightning II jet was focused on Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion, said Senior Master Sgt. Heather Stanton at Joint Base Charleston. Both lakes are north of North Charleston....
...The planes and pilots were with the Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 based in Beaufort, not far from South Carolina’s Atlantic coast."
Last edited by SpazSinbad; 18th Sep 2023 at 04:36. Reason: +map
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Will be interesting as more details come out. Post Courier says the pilot was picked up near S Kenwood Dr. That's just outside the AFB perimeter and less than a mile NE of RWY 15. I grew up about a mile north of the runway in the 60s early 70s.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Aircraft was put on autopilot before the ejection which, along with the ejection location seems to indicate it was premeditated.
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
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In The Times today:-
The US military has appealed to the public to help track down a stealth jet after its pilot ejected due to what was described as a “mishap”.
The advanced, stealth-capable US warplane vanished on Sunday afternoon from radar and the authorities at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
An investigation has been launched into why the pilot flying the F-35 — regarded as the world’s most expensive fighter jet — over the southeastern US state ejected. The military offered no immediate explanation other than it had suffered a “mishap”. But the US Marine Corps was left with an expensive problem: it could not find the jet, leading Joint Base Charleston to ask for help from local residents. “If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center,” a post from the base read on Twitter/X.
Base authorities said they were searching, in co-ordination with federal aviation regulators, near two lakes north of the city of Charleston. State law enforcement also joined the search.
The pilot parachuted to earth in a North Charleston neighbourhood at about 2pm on Sunday. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition, a military spokeswoman said. The pilot’s name has not been released.
The pilot of a second F-35 returned safely to Joint Base Charleston.
However, there was disbelief that the plane could simply disappear. “How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device, and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?” South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace asked.
The advanced, stealth-capable US warplane vanished on Sunday afternoon from radar and the authorities at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
An investigation has been launched into why the pilot flying the F-35 — regarded as the world’s most expensive fighter jet — over the southeastern US state ejected. The military offered no immediate explanation other than it had suffered a “mishap”. But the US Marine Corps was left with an expensive problem: it could not find the jet, leading Joint Base Charleston to ask for help from local residents. “If you have any information that may help our recovery teams locate the F-35, please call the Base Defense Operations Center,” a post from the base read on Twitter/X.
Base authorities said they were searching, in co-ordination with federal aviation regulators, near two lakes north of the city of Charleston. State law enforcement also joined the search.
The pilot parachuted to earth in a North Charleston neighbourhood at about 2pm on Sunday. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was in stable condition, a military spokeswoman said. The pilot’s name has not been released.
The pilot of a second F-35 returned safely to Joint Base Charleston.
However, there was disbelief that the plane could simply disappear. “How in the hell do you lose an F-35? How is there not a tracking device, and we’re asking the public to what, find a jet and turn it in?” South Carolina congresswoman Nancy Mace asked.
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Aircraft was put on autopilot before the ejection which, along with the ejection location seems to indicate it was premeditated.
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
Edited: maybe it'd be the Ruzzki sub waiting silently in Lake Moultrie or Lake Marion??
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Stealth capable US warplane vanished from radar. There's a certain irony in that statement.
Reminds me of that old joke "We couldn't see your aircraft on radar this morning Captain Jenkins?" (Captain Jenkins) "Thank you sir".
Reminds me of that old joke "We couldn't see your aircraft on radar this morning Captain Jenkins?" (Captain Jenkins) "Thank you sir".
Aircraft was put on autopilot before the ejection which, along with the ejection location seems to indicate it was premeditated.
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
Base also confirms the transponder wasn’t functioning - which could mean it was untraceable, and range will only have been limited by the amount of usable fuel remaining in the tanks…..
See both article and comments below it.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...-pilot-ejected
…Based on FAA data, the search for the aircraft is underway in the Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion areas, Senior Master Sergeant Heather Stanton from Joint Base Charleston told the press. But here's the kicker: the DoD is saying the F-35B was put on autopilot prior to the ejection….
"The jet’s transponder, which usually helps locate the aircraft, was not working “for some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” said Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman at Joint Base Charleston. “So that’s why we put out the public request for help.”
Warning, thread drift.
“G-XXXX, Bournemouth Radar, what is your position?”
“G-XX is 8 miles north at 1500ft”
“G-XX, we can’t see you on radar.”
”That’s because I’m made of wood”
”???????????????”
True exchange!
Mog
“G-XXXX, Bournemouth Radar, what is your position?”
“G-XX is 8 miles north at 1500ft”
“G-XX, we can’t see you on radar.”
”That’s because I’m made of wood”
”???????????????”
True exchange!
Mog
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Here is one that landed itself and returned to service after the pilot ejected.
https://www.historynet.com/f-106-the-cornfield-bomber/
That wasn't Tony Craig or John Sadler by any chance, whilst flying G-ASKH?
