Latest news with #PaulTownsend
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 This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.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.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: F-35 fighter jet crash lands in Alaska
Credit: X/@sentdefender An F-35 fighter jet crashed during a training exercise in Alaska on Tuesday. The pilot experienced an 'in-flight malfunction' but was able to eject from the aircraft, Col Paul Townsend, from the US air force, said in the wake of the incident at the Eielson air force base. The base said in a statement that the incident resulted in 'significant damage' to the F-35 Lightning II aircraft, which was seen in footage crashing onto the tarmac and erupting into flames. The pilot, who could be seen in the video parachuting slowly to the ground as a fireball rose from the wreckage, was taken to Bassett Army Hospital. Col Townsend said: 'I can assure you the United States air force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimise the chances of such occurrences from happening again.' The F-35 is the most expensive US defence program and Lockheed Martin's biggest revenue generator, contributing about 30 per cent of its bottom line. Lockheed, the aerospace manufacturer, said earlier on Tuesday that it would be less profitable than expected in 2025, in part because of a delayed rollout of upgrades to the F-35. The Pentagon plans to spend $1.7 trillion on the F-35 program, including buying 2,500 planes in the coming decades. With the capability to fly more than 12 hours at a time, the jet can reach almost anywhere in the northern hemisphere in one mission. In May, an F-35 fighter jet on its way from Texas to the Edwards air force base near Los Angeles crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel in New Mexico. The pilot was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. In October, a Marine investigation blamed the pilot of an F-35 for ejecting from the aircraft when he did not need to, causing the fighter to fly unmanned for 11 minutes before it crashed in rural South Carolina in 2023. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
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.
