BEAUFORT, SC (WCSC) – The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing has launched its investigation into the crash of a 2023 F-35B Lightning II in Williamsburg County.

The report states that pilot error caused the crash, which occurred on the afternoon of September 17, 2023.

That day, the pilot of a US Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II assigned to the Marine Combat Attack Training Squadron ejected at approximately 1:32 pm The investigation found that the plane crashed in the Indiantown area, which is near Hemingway, more than 11 minutes later.

The investigation attributed the crash to “pilot error,” finding that the pilot misdiagnosed an “uncontrollable flight emergency” and ejected from a “flyable” aircraft after attempting to execute a “climb” during a missed approach in proximity to Joint Base Charleston. . The investigation noted that the ejection occurred during “a heavy thunderstorm aggravated by electrical and display failures of the aircraft”.

It found that the pilot’s decision to eject was “ultimately inappropriate” because the commanded flight inputs were “still in progress” at the time of ejection, backup flight instruments were providing accurate data, and the aircraft’s backup radio was ” at least partially, functionally’. . In addition, the aircraft continued to fly for an extended period of time after ejection,” the report said.

The investigation concluded an electrical event caused failure of both the primary radios, transponder, tactical air navigation system, and instrument landing system. The pilot’s helmet-mounted display and panoramic cockpit display were likely not operational for at least three separate periods, causing the pilot to “become disoriented in difficult meteorological and instrument conditions,” the report said.

The plane was able to stay in the air for 11 minutes and 21 seconds without a pilot due to its “advanced automatic flight control systems,” the report said.

The loss of positive radar contact with the accident aircraft resulted from the failure of a transponder caused by the electrical failure and the aircraft’s eventual descent below the air traffic control radar horizon. The loss of positive contact could also be attributed in part to the F-35B’s technology, which is designed to make it difficult to spot on radar.

The crash site was found the following afternoon in a rural area of ​​Williamsburg County, approximately 64 nautical miles from Joint Base Charleston Airfield.

Recovery and cleanup efforts began the next day, the report said.

No one was injured in the accident, but it caused the loss of forested land and crops.

It did not recommend punitive action against the pilot.

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