F-35 crash in Alaska: ice fooled jet’s sensors and flipped it into ground mode
An Air Force probe says an F-35A at Eielson AFB crashed after ice formed inside its landing gear, making the jet think it was on the ground while still airborne. The pilot ejected safely. Investigators traced the cause to water-contaminated hydraulic fluid and mishandling of barrels. The loss is estimated at $196.5 million and adds to a handful of F-35 mishaps, though the fleet’s overall rate remains low.
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