F-22 crash is 2nd at Florida base this year; pilot ejects safely
An Air Force pilot who was hospitalized after his jet crashed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida is in good condition and has been released, military officials said Friday.
At about 3:30 p.m. Thursday the pilot was returning from a routine training mission in an F-22 Raptor -- considered the most advanced fighter jet in the world -- when he alerted people on the ground of an emergency and then ejected, base officials said.
The $143-million jet, designed by Lockheed Martin Corp., slammed into a grassy field about a quarter-mile east of a drone runway.
It is the second F-22 Raptor crash at Tyndall this year. In May, one of the jets crashed during takeoff due to pilot error, the Air Force Times said, citing an investigation report.
The fighter has been plagued with problems in delivering oxygen to its pilots, causing hypoxia, a condition that can lead to nausea, fatigue and blackouts from a lack of oxygen.
There is no indication that Thursday’s crash was related to the plane’s life-support system, officials said.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
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