On 28 January 2025, an F-35A Lightning II fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska. The pilot had spent 50 minutes on a live call with engineers from Lockheed Martin, the jet’s manufacturer, attempting to solve a serious landing gear malfunction before being forced to eject.
Footage shared on social media showed the $200 million jet spiralling toward the ground before exploding in a fireball. The pilot floated down safely under a parachute, escaping with abrasions and a compression fracture to his spine.
Frozen hydraulic fluid behind the malfunction
An Air Force investigation concluded that the crash was caused by water contamination in the hydraulic systems of the nose and main landing gear. When exposed to the minus 18 degree Celsius conditions in Alaska, the water froze and jammed the nose wheel at a left angle.
Col Michael Lewis, president of the Accident Investigation Board, wrote in his report: “The cascading events began when the water in the nose landing gear strut froze first.”
Sensors then incorrectly told the aircraft it was on the ground. As a result, the onboard systems shifted into automated ground mode while still airborne, making the jet impossible to control.
Two failed attempts to save the F-35 jet
After take-off, another pilot noticed the nose landing gear door was still open. The wingman also reported that the nose wheel was locked at 17 degrees to the left.
The pilot and Lockheed Martin engineers, joined by the Eielson supervisor of flying, discussed options during the 50-minute call. Together, they decided to attempt two “touch and go” manoeuvres to straighten the jammed wheel. Both attempts failed. Instead, ice spread through the hydraulics, leaving all three landing gears unable to extend properly.
The board concluded that “crew decision-making including those on the in-flight conference call” contributed to the accident.
Warning signs before the crash
Lockheed Martin had issued a maintenance bulletin in April 2024 warning that the F-35’s sensors could give false ground readings in extreme cold, making it “difficult for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft”.
The Alaska accident was not isolated. Just nine days after the crash, another F-35 at the same base experienced a similar “hydraulic icing” fault, but that aircraft managed to land safely.
Since entering service, there have been around 32 F-35 crashes. In July, an F-35C belonging to the US Navy went down in California.
A long record of cost and criticism
The F-35 programme has faced years of scrutiny over cost, complexity and production practices. The aircraft’s price per unit has dropped from $135.8 million in 2021 to about $81 million under a 2024 agreement, but the lifetime cost is projected to surpass $2 trillion.
Elon Musk added to criticism in 2024, writing: “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed.”
The US Government Accountability Office estimates the programme will run until 2088.
A broader pattern of F-35 fighter jet accidents
The Alaska incident followed another crash in January 2024, when an F-16C belonging to the 8th Fighter Wing in South Korea went down in the Yellow Sea after an engine stall caused by hardware failure.
The report into that crash concluded: “The Accident Investigation Board President found by a preponderance of evidence the cause of the mishap was an engine stall due to hardware failure.”
It was one of three F-16 crashes in South Korea between 2023 and 2024, raising concerns about maintenance standards and ageing hardware.
Australia’s role in the global supply chain
The F-35 is the product of a vast supply network involving more than 1,900 companies worldwide. Australia is a key contributor, with over 75 firms supplying parts. Victoria alone produces more than 700 components, and RUAG Australia is the sole global supplier of the uplock actuator system, which allows the F-35 to open its weapons bay while remaining stealthy.
The Australian Department of Defence has said its industry has earned about $5 billion from the programme so far. Defence Minister Richard Marles stated, “Australia has not supplied weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Israel-Gaza conflict began and not for at least the past five years.”
Critics, however, argue that because the global supply chain is centrally managed by Lockheed Martin, parts made in Australia still contribute to aircraft deployed in conflict zones.
The Alaska crash exposed more than just a frozen hydraulic line. It revealed how an aircraft at the heart of US defence policy can be brought down by contamination in its fluid systems. It showed the limits of real-time problem-solving, even with direct access to the manufacturer mid-flight. And it highlighted once again the tension between the F-35’s enormous price tag and the safety issues that continue to emerge almost two decades after its first flight.
Footage shared on social media showed the $200 million jet spiralling toward the ground before exploding in a fireball. The pilot floated down safely under a parachute, escaping with abrasions and a compression fracture to his spine.
Frozen hydraulic fluid behind the malfunction
An Air Force investigation concluded that the crash was caused by water contamination in the hydraulic systems of the nose and main landing gear. When exposed to the minus 18 degree Celsius conditions in Alaska, the water froze and jammed the nose wheel at a left angle.
Col Michael Lewis, president of the Accident Investigation Board, wrote in his report: “The cascading events began when the water in the nose landing gear strut froze first.”
Sensors then incorrectly told the aircraft it was on the ground. As a result, the onboard systems shifted into automated ground mode while still airborne, making the jet impossible to control.
JUST IN: F-35 fighter jet crashes at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. The pilot survived pic.twitter.com/zEuPNY8jqk
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 29, 2025
Two failed attempts to save the F-35 jet
After take-off, another pilot noticed the nose landing gear door was still open. The wingman also reported that the nose wheel was locked at 17 degrees to the left.
The pilot and Lockheed Martin engineers, joined by the Eielson supervisor of flying, discussed options during the 50-minute call. Together, they decided to attempt two “touch and go” manoeuvres to straighten the jammed wheel. Both attempts failed. Instead, ice spread through the hydraulics, leaving all three landing gears unable to extend properly.
The board concluded that “crew decision-making including those on the in-flight conference call” contributed to the accident.
Warning signs before the crash
Lockheed Martin had issued a maintenance bulletin in April 2024 warning that the F-35’s sensors could give false ground readings in extreme cold, making it “difficult for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft”.
The Alaska accident was not isolated. Just nine days after the crash, another F-35 at the same base experienced a similar “hydraulic icing” fault, but that aircraft managed to land safely.
Since entering service, there have been around 32 F-35 crashes. In July, an F-35C belonging to the US Navy went down in California.
A long record of cost and criticism
The F-35 programme has faced years of scrutiny over cost, complexity and production practices. The aircraft’s price per unit has dropped from $135.8 million in 2021 to about $81 million under a 2024 agreement, but the lifetime cost is projected to surpass $2 trillion.
Elon Musk added to criticism in 2024, writing: “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes. And manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed.”
The US Government Accountability Office estimates the programme will run until 2088.
A broader pattern of F-35 fighter jet accidents
The Alaska incident followed another crash in January 2024, when an F-16C belonging to the 8th Fighter Wing in South Korea went down in the Yellow Sea after an engine stall caused by hardware failure.
The report into that crash concluded: “The Accident Investigation Board President found by a preponderance of evidence the cause of the mishap was an engine stall due to hardware failure.”
It was one of three F-16 crashes in South Korea between 2023 and 2024, raising concerns about maintenance standards and ageing hardware.
Australia’s role in the global supply chain
The F-35 is the product of a vast supply network involving more than 1,900 companies worldwide. Australia is a key contributor, with over 75 firms supplying parts. Victoria alone produces more than 700 components, and RUAG Australia is the sole global supplier of the uplock actuator system, which allows the F-35 to open its weapons bay while remaining stealthy.
The Australian Department of Defence has said its industry has earned about $5 billion from the programme so far. Defence Minister Richard Marles stated, “Australia has not supplied weapons or ammunition to Israel since the Israel-Gaza conflict began and not for at least the past five years.”
Critics, however, argue that because the global supply chain is centrally managed by Lockheed Martin, parts made in Australia still contribute to aircraft deployed in conflict zones.
The Alaska crash exposed more than just a frozen hydraulic line. It revealed how an aircraft at the heart of US defence policy can be brought down by contamination in its fluid systems. It showed the limits of real-time problem-solving, even with direct access to the manufacturer mid-flight. And it highlighted once again the tension between the F-35’s enormous price tag and the safety issues that continue to emerge almost two decades after its first flight.
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