US: F-35 fighter jet crashes during training in Alaska’s Eielson Air Force base

An F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, US, on Tuesday afternoon, with the pilot successfully ejecting from the aircraft and reported to be in stable condition.
The crash occurred at approximately 12:49 pm local time, as the F-35 was approaching the landing phase of its flight. Col Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, confirmed the pilot had declared an inflight emergency due to a malfunction before ejecting safely. Emergency crews transported the pilot to Bassett Army Hospital for evaluation, according to news agency AP.
A video circulating on social media, captured near a KC-135R Stratotanker on the base, shows the F-35 spinning with its gear extended before impacting the runway and erupting in a fireball. This dramatic footage underscores the severity of the incident, though no other injuries were reported.

Col Townsend assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the crash and to minimize the risk of similar occurrences in the future. Both an accident investigation board and a safety investigation team will assess the incident, according to Anchorage Daily News.
Eielson AFB, located about 25 miles southeast of Fairbanks, is home to 54 F-35 fighter jets. The base completed a significant expansion in 2022 to accommodate the aircraft, costing over half a billion dollars and involving new buildings and housing for thousands of personnel.
The F-35A is the US Air Force’s “latest fifth-generation fighter,” and is known for its stealth capabilities and long-range performance, with a single mission able to cover much of the Northern Hemisphere.
Tuesday’s crash is not an isolated incident. In May 2024, an F-35 crashed near Albuquerque’s airport after a refueling stop, seriously injuring the pilot.
In October 2023, a crash in South Carolina led to a prolonged search after the jet, which had flown unmanned for 11 minutes, proved difficult to locate, according to Military.com.