Ejected pilot safe after F-35 crash at Utah Air Force base

At approximately 6:15 pm on Oct. 19, 2022, an F-35A Lightning II from the 388th Fighter Wing crashed at the north end of the runway at Hill Air Force Base. Photo: John Torcasio

SALT LAKE CITY — A pilot who was ejected when an F-35 fighter jet he was flying crashed at a U.S. Air Force base in Utah didn’t suffer any serious injuries, officials said Thursday.The pilot was released after being taken to a hospital Wednesday night for observation, said Col. Craig Andrle of the 388th Fighter Wing at a news conference. The pilot’s identity wasn’t released.

“He’s going to be a little bit sore today, but other than that was released with just minor scrapes,” Andrle said.

Nobody on the ground was hurt and no homes were damaged, he said. Hill Air Force Base is located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City.

The cause of the F-35 A Lightning II crash is unknown. It is being investigated by Air Force officers. There was no increment weather at the time of the crash

It crashed at the north end of the Hill Air Force Base runway and the pilot landed nearby. The jet was totally destroyed, Andrle said.

This is the first time an F-35 A Lightning II has crashed at the base. The last crash was an F-16 Fighting Falcon in 2009, officials said.