SC - Marine F-35 Jet found after pilot parachutes free, North Charleston, 2023 Sept 18

[Gardenista]

Military and government authorities continued a sweeping search on Monday for an F-35 jet that disappeared after a U.S. Marine pilot used an emergency parachute to eject from it on Sunday afternoon in North Charleston, S.C.

The pilot, who has not been publicly identified, was in an F-35 from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. He was taken to a local medical center and his condition was stable late Sunday, Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman for Joint Base Charleston, said.

F-35 Jet Mystery Ends as Wreckage Is Found (Published 2023)

Debris was found north of Charleston, S.C., one day after a pilot on a training mission ejected and the military lost track of his jet.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Gardenista]

Debris field found in search for F-35 jet in Williamsburg County

Joint Base Charleston confirmed Monday night that found a debris field now believed to be the site of an F-35 crash two hours northeast of the base.

www.live5news.com

 

[Gardenista]

Have you seen a missing fighter jet? U.S. asks for help after ‘mishap’

The jet was left in autopilot over South Carolina, but officials said Monday they are certain it's no longer flying.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Gardenista]

Joint Base Charleston​

22h ·

Personnel from Joint Base Charleston and Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort(MCAS Beaufort SC)are responding to a mishap involving an F-35B Lightning II jet from Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501 with the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The pilot ejected safely and was transferred to a local medical center in stable condition. Emergency response teams are still trying to locate the F-35.
The public is asked to cooperate with military and civilian authorities as the effort continues.
If you have any information that would assist the recovery teams, please call the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs Office at 252-466-3827.

 

[whitelilac]

Yikes ! Hopefully it went into water and is not still in the air over land.

 

[pokerowan]

Missing F-35: US military asks for public's help to find jet

 

[fred&edna]

Not a good time for lame humor but the whole idea seems preposterous and I can't help myself.

How large of an area should we put up posters? Is there a reward? Maybe I should go charge-up my metal detector.


How in the heck does this happen?!

 

[whitelilac]

How much fuel is on board? It can't reach the west coast, right?
Checking the sky.

Alarming, but if nobody hears this thing, it must have gone into the water.....hopefully.

 

[Irishknit]

Military and government authorities continued a sweeping search on Monday for an F-35 jet that disappeared after a U.S. Marine pilot used an emergency parachute to eject from it on Sunday afternoon in North Charleston, S.C.

The pilot, who has not been publicly identified, was in an F-35 from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. He was taken to a local medical center and his condition was stable late Sunday, Jeremy Huggins, a spokesman for Joint Base Charleston, said.

F-35 Jet Mystery Ends as Wreckage Is Found (Published 2023)

Debris was found north of Charleston, S.C., one day after a pilot on a training mission ejected and the military lost track of his jet.

www.nytimes.com

Just thankful the pilot is in stable condition.

 

[LunaInvidia]

I'm not a plane-ologist but if it was at max fuel, Google tells me that's ~1200nm and the slowest it can fly is ~100nm per hour. So, maybe 12 hours? It's been more than that.

I could be TOTALLY wrong here, mind, I am not great at math or distances.

 

[fred&edna]

The circumstances that prompted the pilot to eject from the aircraft were not immediately clear.


Interesting.

 

[Gardenista]

The circumstances that prompted the pilot to eject from the aircraft were not immediately clear.


Interesting.

Definitely raised my eyebrows.

 

[fred&edna]

Uh, Sir, One of Our F-35s Has Literally Disappeared​

Anyone see where that thing went?

Uh, Sir, One of Our F-35s Has Literally Disappeared

Anyone see where that thing went?

www.popularmechanics.com

Reportedly, the jet’s transponder—which could have been used to geolocate the aircraft—was not functioning for “some reason that we haven’t yet determined,” according to a base spokesman. Perhaps the same inflight ‘mishap’ also suppressed the aircraft’s communication systems.

 

[Gardenista]

Marine Corps Commandant Eric Smith on Monday issued a two-day stand-down to take place at some point this week for all aviation units both inside and outside of the United States, a Marine Corps spokesman told ABC News.

As Marines continue to search for F-35 after 'mishap,' officials order 2-day stand-down for all jets

After a "mishap" with an F-35 fighter jet in South Carolina on Sunday, the Marine Corps commandant issued a two-day service-wide stand-down for all aviation units

abcnews.go.com

 

[Gardenista]

US Military sets up missing jet hotline for missing F-35 fighter

The US military has set up a hotline for a missing Marine Corps F-35 fighter jet which has been missing since its pilot ejected over South Carolina for unknown reasons.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[whitelilac]

Reading the comments in the aviation forum...most in there are pilots and experts in aviation related topics.

Some interesting comments. Eg plane put on auto pilot before ejection, and transponder is off.

USMC F-35B Crash - 17 Sep 23 - PPRuNe Forums

Military Aviation - USMC F-35B Crash - 17 Sep 23 - Pilot ejected - found in a residential city street in N Charleston, SC - transported

www.pprune.org

 

[fred&edna]

Reading the comments in the aviation forum...most in there are pilots and experts in aviation related topics.

Some interesting comments. Eg plane put on auto pilot before ejection, and transponder is off.

USMC F-35B Crash - 17 Sep 23 - PPRuNe Forums

Military Aviation - USMC F-35B Crash - 17 Sep 23 - Pilot ejected - found in a residential city street in N Charleston, SC - transported

www.pprune.org

Quite interesting comments! (And, even humor... I'm not alone!)

ETA: There's even a link to the cornfield bomber.

The Day an F-106 Supersonic Fighter Landed Itself in the Middle of a Field

How an unpiloted supersonic fighter became the most notorious ghost rider of all time.

www.historynet.com

 

[lonetraveler]

Debris field found in search for F-35 jet in Williamsburg County

Joint Base Charleston confirmed Monday night that found a debris field now believed to be the site of an F-35 crash two hours northeast of the base.

www.live5news.com

Wow, wouldn't radar be a help?

 

[fred&edna]

I promise, this is my last post on the subject...

Premiering soon in Arlington will be the Marine Corp Band performing the famous heart-rending tune, "Where Oh Where Has My F-35 Gone"

 

[whitelilac]

There's an orange coastguard helicopter flying back and forth along the cliffs in front of me. That F-35 is not THAT fast to be around here, is it?

OK, maybe somebody is stuck on the cliff or fell off, as happens here regularly.