An F-35 crashed in the Nevada Test and Training Range in Southern Nevada. The pilot ejected and is reportedly safe after sustaining only minor injuries.
According to KSNV News 3, “The U.S. military is searching for a pilot who had to eject from an aircraft over Southern Nevada on Tuesday, sources tell News 3… The aircraft reported trouble maneuvering around noon, according to sources.” The outlet subsequently reported that the pilot was found in good condition.
TWZ has reached out to Creech AFB and Nellis AFB for more information. We will update this post as we find out more.
UPDATE: 5:24pm EST—
We have now gotten a statement from the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB (the range complex falls under the installation’s command). We now know the F-35 that was lost was based out of Nellis. F-35s are major tenants of the base, for weapons tests and tactics development tasks and aggressor duties, and visiting F-35s frequent the base for training and exercises. The statement reads:
An F-35 from Nellis AFB crashed north of Las Vegas today. The incident occurred approximately 25 miles northeast of Indian Springs, Nevada, within the controlled airspace and restricted federal property of the Nevada Test & Training Range.
Emergency responders are on-scene and there is no impact to populated areas. The pilot is safe and being treated for minor injuries. The safety of our personnel and the community remain our top priority.
We will provide additional information as it becomes available.
Contact the author: Tyler@twz.com