Air Force pilot miraculously survives as $78m F-35 crashes in ball of flames in Utah training exercise

Pilot made best effort to avoid buildings or anything on the ground before ejection, wing commander says

A US Air Force pilot has miraculously survived after a $78m F-35 combat aircraft crashed at an airbase in Utah.

The crash on Wednesday at the Hill Air Force Base south of Ogden occurred at 6.15pm local time at the north end of the runway, according to the 388th Fighter Wing.

“The pilot ejected, was recovered and has been taken to local medical center for observation,” Hill Air Force Base tweeted.

No further details were available on the pilot’s condition. No one on the ground was injured, according to the authorities.

The cause of the crash is not yet known and is being investigated. A large plume of smoke could be seen coming from the base after the incident.

Utah Fire Info tweeted that the crash ignited a fire that spread across eight to 10 acres, but crews were able to extinguish the blaze.

The pilot was on his way back to base from a routine training mission when he ejected from the jet, Colonel Craig Andrle, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, told a press conference.

“All of us as pilots take every opportunity we have to mitigate the damage to anything on the ground, so I do know that the pilot made his best effort to avoid any buildings or anything on the ground prior to ejection,” Col Andrle said.

“Flying military aircraft is a risky business that we all accept when we go do it. And these things happen,” Col Andrle continued. “And so tonight, first and foremost, we’re thankful that he’s okay. He got out of the aircraft. We’re thankful that nobody on the ground was injured.”

Local resident Scott Phillips told CNN that he saw the aircraft go down.

“I was at my home …. mowing the lawn and watching the F-35 come in for landing as they do basically every night. We love watching them leave and come home,” Mr Phillips said.

A view shows smoke after an F-35 crashed at Hill Air Force Base, in Washington Terrace, Utah, on 19 October 2022 (Dustin Chapman via REUTERS)

“They land generally towards the south as they did today. On approach, one appeared to lose power and dipped too low below the trees. Next thing I saw was fire.”

Hill Air Force Base is an Air Force Materiel Command base located in northern Utah. It is the Air Force’s second-largest base by population and geographical size, and is home to many operational and support missions.

The base is also the largest single-site employer in the state of Utah, with an economic impact of more than $3bn annually.