FAIRBANKS, ALASKA: A newly released Air Force accident report has shed light on the dramatic F-35 crash at Eielson Air Force Base in January, revealing that the pilot spent nearly an hour on a conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers in a desperate attempt to save the malfunctioning fighter jet. The investigation concluded that ice in the hydraulic lines caused the crash, highlighting a critical failure in maintenance and on-the-spot decision-making.
The incident on January 28 saw the $200 million jet drop vertically and explode in a fiery crash, an event captured in viral video footage. The pilot successfully ejected with minor injuries, but the aircraft was a total loss.
A Cascade of Failures
According to the investigation, the chain of events began when water-contaminated hydraulic fluid froze in the frigid -1 degree Fahrenheit conditions. This caused the nose landing gear to jam at an angle after takeoff, preventing it from fully retracting.
Unable to resolve the issue with standard checklists, the pilot initiated a conference call with five Lockheed Martin engineers, including specialists in landing gear systems and flight safety. For 50 minutes, the pilot and engineers worked together, circling the base as they discussed potential fixes.
The report identifies a crucial error during this airborne troubleshooting. The team decided to attempt two “touch and go” landings to try and straighten the nose gear. These maneuvers, however, worsened the problem by causing ice to spread to the main landing gear, which then failed to fully extend. With all three landing gears compromised, the F-35’s sensors misread the situation, causing the onboard computer to switch to “automated ground-operation mode” while still airborne. At this point, the jet became “uncontrollable,” forcing the pilot to eject.
The Overlooked Warning
Investigators found that the engineers on the call had failed to reference a maintenance bulletin issued by Lockheed Martin in April 2024. This bulletin specifically warned that in extreme cold, similar hydraulic icing issues could cause sensors to give false ground readings, leading to a loss of control. The report concluded that had this bulletin been consulted, the engineers would likely have advised a full-stop landing or a controlled ejection, avoiding the second “touch and go” that sealed the aircraft’s fate.
The investigation also highlighted deeper maintenance issues, including a lack of oversight for hazardous materials and poor adherence to hydraulic servicing procedures. The F-35 that crashed was part of a formation of four jets, the other three of which landed safely. A separate F-35 at the same base experienced a similar hydraulic icing issue just nine days later but was able to land without incident.