A U.S. military pilot parachuted into a residential backyard in Charleston County, South Carolina, after ejecting from his F-35B Lightning II fighter jet due to an aircraft failure.
The pilot, who reported back pain, was taken to a hospital and discharged the following day. The crash debris was discovered in Williamsburg County, two hours northeast of Joint Base Charleston.
The jet, part of a training squadron from the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, was on a routine training flight when the incident occurred.
The F-35 program, one of the Defense Department’s most costly, has been criticized for its maintenance delays and limited mission capability. The crash is currently under investigation.
Read more at NBC News.
