Report and photo by Robbie van Disseldorp
At around 1 PM local time, an F-35A of the 354th Wing crashed at Eielson AFB. The pilot was able to eject and was not injured, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
According to the 354th FW public affairs office, an aircraft incident resulted in significant damage and occurred within the base fence line.
A video shared by John Hillyer on Instagram shows the pilot coming down on his parachute while the F-35A is in freefall to the ground and explodes. The cause of the crash is unknown and is under investigation.
The 354th Fighter Wing, stationed at Eielson AFB, currently has two F-35A squadrons, the 355th FS and 356th FS, and hosts roughly 50 F-35A aircraft.