From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, January 29, 2025
US F-35 military jet crashes at Alaska base; pilot safe after ejecting
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A US Air Force pilot is reported to be safe after a single-seat F-35 fighter jet crashed yesterday during a training exercise at a base in Alaska.
The pilot experienced an “inflight malfunction” but was able to eject from the aircraft, Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, tells a news conference. The plane crashed during the landing phase of the flight at Eielson Air Force Base, he says.
The pilot had declared an inflight emergency prior to the crash and is in stable condition and being evaluated at a medical facility, he adds.
The crash, which occurred early yesterday afternoon, caused significant damage to the aircraft, the Air Force says in a statement.
Eielson Air Force Base is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of Fairbanks.
Townsend says in the statement that the Air Force will conduct “a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”
JUST IN: F-35 fighter jet crashes at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The pilot survived pic.twitter.com/zEuPNY8jqk
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 29, 2025
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