A US Air Force pilot safely ejected before his F-35 Lightning II fighter jet crashed and exploded during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base southeast of Fairbanks, Alaska on January 28.
The pilot experienced an “inflight malfunction” but was able to eject from the aircraft, Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, told a news conference. The plane crashed during the landing phase of the flight at Eielson Air Force Base, he said.
The pilot had declared an inflight emergency before the crash and was in stable condition and being evaluated at a medical facility, he said.
The crash, which occurred early Tuesday afternoon, caused significant damage to the aircraft, the Air Force said in a statement.
Eielson Air Force Base is about 25 miles (40 kilometres) south of Fairbanks.
Townsend said in the statement said the Air Force would conduct “a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”
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