Latest news with #354thFighterWing
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Crew ejects before South Korean fighter jet crashes at Eielson Air Force Base
Jun. 11—A South Korean fighter jet experienced an incident upon takeoff on Tuesday afternoon at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, base officials said. The Republic of Korea Air Force F-16D Fighting Falcon "departed the prepared surface" and the crew ejected, the statement said. The incident occurred during takeoff, and within the base fenceline, it said. The crew was taken to Bassett Army Community Hospital for evaluation, the 354th Fighter Wing said in a statement late Tuesday. The pilots suffered minor burns and lacerations during ejection, according to a report in Stars and Stripes that quotes a South Korean Air Force statement describing the crashed jet as "partially destroyed by fire" on grass next to the runway. The jet is a two-seat version of the F-16. The incident occurred during training, according to reports in Korean media. Korea JoongAng Daily reported the fighter jet was damaged while participating in a multinational training exercise, according to the Korean military. A 354th Fighter Wing spokesperson did not immediately response to questions Wednesday morning. The Red Flag Pacific Air Forces training exercise gets underway Thursday, but activities occur before the exercise officially begins. This year's exercise includes 70 aircraft from 35 units and three nations. The crash marked the second fighter jet to go down at Eielson this year. In January, an F-35 crashed after experiencing an in-flight malfunction at the base as the plane came in for a landing. The pilot declared an emergency and ejected prior to the crash. He was treated at Bassett and released by the next day. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
F-35 pilot ejects before crash at Alaska base
An Air Force pilot was forced to eject before their F-35 fighter jet crashed in a fiery explosion Tuesday during a training exercise at an Alaskan base. The pilot experienced an 'inflight malfunction' while flying at Eielson Air Force Base but was safely able to eject from the aircraft, Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, told reporters. 'The pilot was executing standard procedures and executing their respective mission and essentially experienced an inflight malfunction,' he said, adding that the pilot had declared an emergency prior to the crash. He also noted that the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft crashed as it was attempting to land at the base. Video of the crash quickly circulated on social media channels, showing the F-35 in an uncontrolled spin as it plummeted toward the ground, erupting in a fireball upon impact. In a separate statement, Eielson Air Force Base officials said that the incident occurred around 12:49 p.m. and resulted in 'significant damage' to the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The pilot was safe and taken to Bassett Army Community Hospital, according to the release. 'I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again,' Townsend said in the statement. Eielson Air Force Base, located about 25 miles south of Fairbanks, Alaska, was chosen in 2016 to host 54 F-35s. The new aircraft was a massive expansion for the military installation, as it cost more than a $500 million to house and maintain the planes in new buildings as well as house the 3,500 new active-duty airmen and their dependents that were moved to Alaska. The first F-35s were positioned at Eielson in April 2020. Tuesday's crash is the 11th F-35 accident since 2018 and comes less than a year after an F-35 accident in May. In that incident, an F-35 on its way from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after taking off following a refueling stop in New Mexico. The pilot had serious injuries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- General
- The Independent
Pilot ejects from F-35 fighter jet moments before it crashes and bursts into flames
Dramatic video shows the moment an F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday (29 January). The pilot is reported to be safe after deploying his parachute seconds before the jet smashed into tarmac. The crash occurred during the landing phase following an 'inflight malfunction', Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing told a news conference, with the Air Force confirming the incident had caused 'significant damage' to the £66m aircraft.
The Hill
29-01-2025
- General
- The Hill
F-35 pilot ejects before crash at Alaska base
An Air Force pilot was forced to eject before their F-35 fighter jet crashed in a fiery explosion Tuesday during a training exercise at an Alaskan base. The pilot experienced an 'inflight malfunction' while flying at Eielson Air Force Base but was safely able to eject from the aircraft, Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, told reporters. 'The pilot was executing standard procedures and executing their respective mission and essentially experienced an inflight malfunction,' he said, adding that the pilot had declared an emergency prior to the crash. He also noted that the Lockheed Martin-made aircraft crashed as it was attempting to land at the base. Video of the crash quickly circulated on social media channels, showing the F-35 in an uncontroled spin as it plummeted toward the ground, erupting in a fireball upon impact. In a separate statement, Eielson Air Force Base officials said that the incident occurred around 12:49 p.m. and resulted in 'significant damage' to the F-35 Lightning II aircraft. The pilot was safe and taken to Bassett Army Hospital, according to the release. 'I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation into this incident to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again,' Townsend said in the statement. Eielson Air Force Base, located about 25 miles south of Fairbanks, was chosen in 2016 to host 54 F-35s. The new aircraft was a massive expansion for the military installation, as it cost more than a $500 million to house and maintain the planes in new buildings as well as house the 3,500 new active duty airmen and their dependents that were moved to Alaska. The first F-35s were positioned at Eielson in April 2020. Tuesday's crash is the 11th F-35 accident since 2018 and comes less than a year after an F-35 accident in May. In that incident, an F-35 on its way from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after taking off following a refueling stop in New Mexico. The pilot had serious injuries.
CNN
29-01-2025
- General
- CNN
Pilot is safe after crash of F-35 fighter jet seen in dramatic video
A US Air Force pilot safely escaped after an F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on Tuesday, officials said. The pilot experienced an 'inflight malfunction' but managed to eject, according to Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing. The aircraft went down during the landing phase of the flight, Townsend said at a news conference. The pilot declared an inflight emergency before the crash, and was reported to be in stable condition after being transported to a medical facility, Townsend said. 'The pilot is safe and has been transported to Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation,' he added. 'I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.' The 354th Fighter Wing confirmed in a statement that the 'aircraft incident' occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time, 'resulting in significant aircraft damage.' Eielson Air Force Base, located about 25 miles south of Fairbanks, serves as an operational hub for over fifty of these fifth-generation jets. The dramatic incident was captured on video, and occurred as the plane was approaching land. The footage, reportedly filmed from the base's flight line near Fairbanks, shows the Lockheed Martin-built jet spinning in tight circles with its landing gear extended as it plummeted almost vertically toward the ground until it crashed sparking a huge flame plume. An open parachute, signaling the pilot's ejection, is visible in the recording. The F-35, a cornerstone of the US military's fleet, is lauded for its advanced stealth and combat capabilities and serves the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. However, it has faced increased scrutiny in recent years. In May, an F-35 fighter jet en route from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base in California crashed shortly after a refueling stop in New Mexico, the Associated Press reported. The pilot sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment. In a separate incident in October, a Marine Corps investigation determined that a pilot ejected from an F-35 when he didn't need to, leaving the aircraft to fly autonomously for 11 minutes before crashing in a remote area of South Carolina, according to the AP.
