F-35 havarert i Alaska - A&SF

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A video posted to social media shows an F-35 crashing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on Jan. 28. The base reported that the pilot is safe. (Screenshot via Facebook/Air Force amn/nco/snco)

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Video: F-35 Crash at Eielson, Pilot Is Safe

Jan. 28, 2025 | By David Roza

An F-35 crashed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, on Jan. 28, with videos showing the fighter tumbling to the ground as the pilot drifts on a parachute.

The crash occurred at 12:49 p.m. local time and resulted in “significant aircraft damage” the Eielson-based 354th Fighter Wing said in a press release. The pilot is safe and was transported to the nearby Bassett Army Hospital for further evaluation, the release said.

A video of the crash was posted to the unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco later that day. It shows an F-35 with its landing gear extended rolling wingtip over wingtip en route to a fiery impact. A figure in a parachute, presumably the pilot, can be seen drifting to earth not far away. 

A base spokesperson confirmed to Air & Space Forces Magazine that the video is authentic, that the aircraft involved was an F-35, and that both the F-35 and the pilot were assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing.

While the pilot was safe, it was not immediately clear whether they were uninjured.

“Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security,” wing commander Col. Paul Townsend said in a statement.  “I can assure you the United States Air Force will conduct a thorough investigation in hopes to minimize the chances of such occurrences from happening again.”

KC-135 tankers, likely assigned to the Alaska Air National Guard’s 168th Wing, are parked in the foreground of the video. A recording posted on X appears to show audio from air traffic control from just before the crash, but the wing spokesperson could not immediately confirm if it was authentic.

The crash marks the first major Air Force aircraft mishap of 2025. It comes about seven weeks after an MQ-9 Reaper was mistakenly shot down over Syria by U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces. 

In May, an F-35B flown by an Air Force pilot crashed in New Mexico shortly after takeoff. The pilot ejected at low altitude and suffered serious injuries, the Air Force said at the time.