In a recent incident that garnered attention, a pilot ejected from a $100 million F-35 fighter jet over South Carolina, citing adverse weather conditions as the cause of the unexpected ejection. While military officials are still referring to the incident as a “malfunction,” sources and experts have provided insights into the circumstances surrounding the pilot’s hasty exit.

According to audio from a Charleston County Emergency Medical Services call posted by a meteorologist, the pilot reported uncertainty regarding the location of his downed aircraft, attributing the loss to adverse weather conditions. The pilot safely parachuted to the ground and landed in a residential neighborhood in North Charleston before being transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation. Fortunately, the pilot has since been discharged.

Longtime military aviation expert and consultant Richard Aboulafia shed light on the situation, suggesting that the pilot likely ejected before activating the jet’s tracking system. Aboulafia explained, “If you turned on the onboard device, it would be easily trackable. But this is a stealth aircraft. If you don’t turn that particular device on, it’s going to be hard to make contact. Most likely, he or she did not have a lot of time to react.”

Military officials, in a somewhat unusual move, sought assistance from the public in locating the aircraft, as it lacked tracking capabilities due to the unactivated device. Aboulafia remarked on the reasoning behind this approach, stating, “The onboard device has not been turned on, it’s not being tracked. So it makes perfect sense that they’re going to ask for help from people in the area who might have seen a jet heading in their direction.”

The aircraft ultimately crashed into a wooded area approximately 60 miles from the location where the pilot parachuted to safety. State law enforcement officers identified the downed plane on Monday and subsequently closed off a one-mile stretch of road in Williamsburg County.

The F-35 jet is part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s most expensive weapons system program, as highlighted in a May 2023 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The agency is currently considering modernizing the aircraft’s engine.

Despite occasional challenges and criticisms, Aboulafia emphasized that the F-35 remains highly regarded globally as the top fighter jet and remains in high demand among various governments. He concluded, “I understand the frustration with delays and cost overruns and whatever else. But the fact is they can’t produce these fast enough for demand. And that’s the bottom line.”