Pilot error blamed for ejection that led to US F-35B flying unmanned for 73 miles
An incident that led to an F-35B pilot ejecting - but the aircraft continuing to fly unmanned for 73 miles before crashing - has been blamed on pilot error.
A US Marine Corps investigation said the pilot had incorrectly diagnosed an out-of-control flight emergency and had ejected from a "flyable aircraft".
It said the pilot had been coming into land and had switched the aircraft to hover mode, but then had multiple electrical malfunctions making his display cut out and appear again.
He then pressed the buttons to switch out of hover to normal flying mode and had the display malfunction again for the third time - and that was when he decided to eject.
The aircraft then continued transitioning from hover to normal flight mode and then flew off for 11 minutes and 21 seconds, covering 64 nautical miles - 73 regular miles.
The incident happened during a period of heavy rain when the pilot was flying on instruments near Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina last year.
The US Marine Corps said: "The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft while attempting to execute a climb-out during a missed approach."
The investigation did accept there were contributing factors, including an "electrical event during flight, which induced failures of both primary radios, the transponder, the tactical air navigation system and the instrument landing system, and the probability that the helmet-mounted display and panoramic cockpit display were not operational for at least three distinct periods".
"This caused the pilot to become disoriented in challenging instrument and meteorological conditions," it added.
The crash resulted in no ground-related injuries.
There was some property damage in the form of lost forested land and crops.
And the USMC report found "there were no punitive actions recommended".
Join Our Newsletter
