F-35 crash in South Carolina

[buckbuck]

What do we know for sure?
I have read (on the internet) 1. the aircraft was on auto-pilot. 2. The transponder was off. 3. Another F-35 was flying with it. 4. It is implyed the pilot got punched out unintentionally.
My love for them is renewed every time they fly over my head while we boat.

 

[zipper]

Wow, I see and hear them pretty much every day.

Video from a few years ago...

 

[Judge]

I saw the story..... how the hell do you lose an F-35?

It is sounding more and more like it was on Autopilot and he punched out unintentionally...... or intentionally.... and the transponder "was not working for some reason."

If that is the case the plane probably flew out to the ocean and ditched. If it crashed on land you would think someone would have heard or seen it.

But how they couldn't still track it with radar seems pretty strange.... unless he was flying at a very low altitude.

 

[zpaul]

 

[fatboyroy]

this is very weird, the other F-35 should follow the unmanned unit so he can coordinate safety procedure (ie if its heading to a city/town etc).

Edit: Unless they collided, one panicked and ejected and the other rush to land his plane.

 

[buckbuck]

I understand not tracking it with radar. That is specifically why it was built. The radar return signiture is reported to be the size of a golf ball. I believe radar would find a bird easier to follow than a F-35. I agree with @fatboyroy . Why didn't the other F-35 track it?

 

[jawsf16]

In an ejection scenario, standard operations for the wingman (flight lead) is to get eyes on the survivor's chute and orbit their position to effect a SAR operation. The aircraft crash site is a distant priority at that point and all efforts are directed at recovering the pilot and/or crew. The transponder not being active is not unusual if the aircraft was operated in formation. ATC mostly prefers a single transponder track to identify a flight (usually lead squawks for the flight) in standard formation or it can make their system get excited about two to four tracks directly on top of each other (think impending mid-air). The radar paint track is not very precise and probably not very low altitude capable either. ATC may be able to review tapes and find an errant skin return that drops in altitude and eventually off scope. Also aircraft with stealth features are often operated in friendly non combat environments with an extra beacon or external store to offer a return for ATC, although transponder is the current approved method. Lastly, inadvertent ejections are rare, but have occurred in the past especially with newer aircraft models. I remember a T-6 Instructor punching himself out while sitting on the ground at EOR. It was totally his mistake but was blamed on bad design since he was an O-6 (but ironically the design didn't change and it hasn't happened again).
I would guess that the aircraft is most likely in the drink somewhere and they are hoping to find some floating wreckage, but who knows, stranger things have happened. Just thankful the pilot is in good shape.
Again, just my 2 cents, its probably only worth half that.

 

[fatboyroy]

In an ejection scenario, standard operations for the wingman (flight lead) is to get eyes on the survivor's chute and orbit their position to effect a SAR operation. The aircraft crash site is a distant priority at that point and all efforts are directed at recovering the pilot and/or crew. The transponder not being active is not unusual if the aircraft was operated in formation. ATC mostly prefers a single transponder track to identify a flight (usually lead squawks for the flight) in standard formation or it can make their system get excited about two to four tracks directly on top of each other (think impending mid-air). The radar paint track is not very precise and probably not very low altitude capable either. ATC may be able to review tapes and find an errant skin return that drops in altitude and eventually off scope. Also aircraft with stealth features are often operated in friendly non combat environments with an extra beacon or external store to offer a return for ATC, although transponder is the current approved method. Lastly, inadvertent ejections are rare, but have occurred in the past especially with newer aircraft models. I remember a T-6 Instructor punching himself out while sitting on the ground at EOR. It was totally his mistake but was blamed on bad design since he was an O-6 (but ironically the design didn't change and it hasn't happened again).
I would guess that the aircraft is most likely in the drink somewhere and they are hoping to find some floating wreckage, but who knows, stranger things have happened. Just thankful the pilot is in good shape.
Again, just my 2 cents, its probably only worth half that.

You are probably right, those rule probably apply to hostile environments, but they still have to follow. But common sense suggest, he can just give coordinate for rescue and follow the other plane lol. there is nothing much he can do for the other pilot anyway.

 

[anmut]

I'm watching this one closely - nothing about it adds up.

1) Pilot ejected from a plane that continued running on autopilot?
2) Transponder turned off?
3) Why did his wingman not get radar direction on the plane while he was watching the ejected pilot?
4) Original news reports stated they were searching the lakes, which are northwest of the ejection area. Today you can watch FlightTracker flights as they are searching nearly straight north of the ejection area. Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map | Flightradar24

So the planed was running well enough to continue flying, but the pilot ejected, or was ejected without his consent, and now the plane is just gone.

Lots of unconfirmed reports on X about an F-35 landing in Havana today, but probably B.S.

 

[buckbuck]

Nice to see you are still around @jawsf16 .

 

[buckbuck]

A law enfordement helicopter just went off the Flight tracking near Stuckey. Hopefully they found it.
@jawsf16 if you get punched out are you still allowed to fly military?

 

[jawsf16]

A law enfordement helicopter just went off the Flight tracking near Stuckey. Hopefully they found it.
@jawsf16 if you get punched out are you still allowed to fly military?

Yep I'm still here buck. Welcome to Texas I guess, congrats on the move to Dallas area. More of a lurker on here nowadays.

An Accident Investigation Board is called when a significant Class A (high dollar amount) accident occurs. If the pilot or crew is at fault they could lose their wings, but it has to be gross negligence usually. Mistakes happen and it could definitely hurt your military career, but it can make you a rock star too if you did everything correctly and the plane was not salvageable. I know several great pilots that have had to ride the silk streamers and it didn't slow down their career or flying.

Again, can't stress enough that as the supporting fighter, you don't care where that bad jet (just a piece of metal) goes once your wingman (squadron mate and probably good friend) jumps out. Your only job is to see where they land, establish communication if able, then direct rescue crews to them as quickly as possible to minimize injuries. You can do literally nothing about where the airplane goes, but you can help your buddy out on the ground immensely. Old squadron CC of mine jumped out in the middle of the South Carolina swampy marsh lakes and the SARCAP above helped guide the ground rescue team to him very quickly.

Just to add a little more fuel to this fire, just read some conspiracy theories that a militia group downed it with a 50 CAL. Possible, yes! Probable, no. But hey stranger things have happened.

 

[rkluck]

Well it looks like they found it Williamsburg county SC. Should be interesting to hear more, if we actually do get all the facts,

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

 

[Weeb]

View attachment 208923

lol. I didn’t believe this until about 6 years ago when all the military people started coming out about it and then I started watching Skinwalker Ranch. They changed my mind.

 

[Ericd]

I don't believe bad weather was the cause. I’m in Hilton Head Island SC and there was a little rain the day of the crash, but hard to fathom a problem flying in it.

 

[BlkGS]

Well it looks like they found it Williamsburg county SC. Should be interesting to hear more, if we actually do get all the facts,

Interesting how quickly they stopped talking about it, isn't it? No pictures of parts being hauled away, no articles about what happened, not a word.

Some.of the guys I work with claimed their pals still in service were saying it had been hacked. If that was the case, I'd be totally silent on it too.