WEBER COUNTY, Utah, Oct. 20, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — Investigators at Hill Air Force Base are asking for the public’s help as they try to determine the cause of Wednesday night’s crash of an F-35A Lightning II jet fighter, considered the most sophisticated type of combat aircraft in the U.S. arsenal.
Colonel Craig R. Andrle, Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, said the warplane was returning from a routine training mission when it went down.
“At approximately 6:15 p.m., an F-35A Lightning II from the 388th Fighter Wing crashed at the north end of the runway at Hill Air Force Base. On and off-base emergency crews responded immediately.”
The pilot ejected from the aircraft, and was transported to the hospital. He has since been released to recover at home.
“The cause of the crash is unknown at this time and will be investigated,” Andrle told the media.
“If any member of the public saw anything or finds anything that may be related to the crash, we would ask that you please contact us via the email account on our Twitter feed to let us know.”
Those with information can also call a Hill AFB information hotline at 801-777-0911.
Investigators are especially interested in any home surveillance video or other photographic evidence which may turn up.
The early evening crash led to a hillside fire which burned 8-10 acres of Department of Defense land, according to a post by Utah Fire Info. Firefighters from Weber County resources along with Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) managed to knock down the flames “but continue with Haz-Mat and other logistics,” UFI reported.
“We were able to extinguish the fire within under an hour and then we have been able to start the process of making the area first safe for response, putting out the fire, making sure nothing else is a hazard to anyone,” said Col. Jeffrey G. Holland, 75th Air Base Wing and Installation Commander.
“They’ll go through and make sure that the aircraft itself is is safe and ready to be approached, so we can start that investigation that we need, to understand what happened,” Holland said.
“If anybody has a Ring video doorbell coverage that shows the aircraft, or the ejection, we’d love to see a copy of that.”
“We’re extremely thankful that the pilot got out of the aircraft and that he’s alright. Flying military aircraft is a is a risky business that we all accept when we go do it and these things happen,” Andrle said. “And so tonight, first and foremost, we’re thankful that he’s okay. You got out of the aircraft. We’re thankful that nobody on the ground was injured. And we’ll start the process of figuring out what happened from here.
“Thankfully, I’ve never had to eject out of an aircraft. I hope never to have to do that,” Andrle said in response to a reporter’s question about what that the experience was like. “But the the system in the aircraft is designed to get you out of the jet safely and onto the ground and it worked as advertised…”
A Hill AFB press release Thursday said five F-35s from the 388th Fighter Wing were diverted to Salt Lake City International Airport after the crash and will return to the base soon.
“Other local flying at Hill Air Force Base has been cancelled today and a decision on when local flying will resume has yet to be made,” the press release said.
Wednesday’s incident was the first Air Force F-35A Lightning II that has crashed at Hill Air Force Base. Prior to that, the last crash of a Hill fighter jet involved a F-16 Fighting Falcon in June 2009. According to Air Force records, “the pilot, Capt. George B. Houghton was killed upon impact, and the $21.3 million aircraft assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing from Hill Air Force Base in Utah was destroyed.”
Results of an air force investigation released in Sept. 2009 determined Houghton “was likely focused on visually positioning himself for an attack and was unaware of his low altitude.
“There was no evidence the pilot attempted to recover from the diving approach on the target or that he attempted to eject.”
Gephardt Daily will update the Hill AFB crash story as more information becomes available.
