F-35B fighter jet smashed into desert and exploded

Footage has been revealed of the aftermath of an Air Force fighter jet crashing into the ground in New Mexico before bursting into flames.

On Tuesday afternoon, first responders rushed to the crash site just south of Albuquerque International Sunport. 

Lockheed Martin, the primary contractor of the particular aircraft that crashed, confirmed that the aircraft was a F-35B fighter jet.

The pilot, who is currently recovering in the hospital and in stable condition, managed to eject just seconds before the plane hit the ground. He was found away from the crash site – still conscious but seriously injured – and was rushed to University of New Mexico hospital.

He was on his way to Forth Worth, Texas to Edwards Air Force Base in California after stopping at Kirtland Air Force Base to refuel. He crashed just before 2 pm.

Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) and Bernalillo County firefighters tried to put out the fire, but they called in reinforcements from Kirtland Air Force Base to wipe it out completely.

‘We carry 500 gallons of water on our apparatus and small foam tanks, but it’s no match for a jet fuel fire of that scope,’ Lt. Jason Fejer with AFR told local NBC affiliate KOB.

While first responders managed to contain the fire within a few hours, clearing out the debris crash site is a lengthier process and will take days to complete.

The pilot was the only person on the plane, and no one was killed.

While the reason behind the crash is still being investigated, KOB reports that a malfunction occurred minutes after the jet first took off.

There were several witnesses to the crash, who told KOB they were shaken by the incident. 

Hunter James Ryer was waiting for his flight to take off at the Sunport when he saw a plume of smoke and bursts of flames in the distance.

‘I can’t really believe I just witnessed a crash while I was on a plane,’ Ryer told KOB.

He said he knew it was a plane crash when he saw several emergency vehicles rushing to the scene, followed by an announcement from the pilot that the tarmac would be closed.

‘Everyone just got really quiet,’ Ryer said, as the passengers took turns looking out the window to see the incident unfold.

Alan Diehl, a former aviation and safety expert for the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Air Force, said the F-35B are the worlds most advanced aircraft.

‘This is the main first-line fighter of not only America but our Allies around the world, so obviously there is going to be a lot of interest in this accident,’ he said.

These new models, which can take off and land vertically like a helicopter, have only been in use by the U.S. Airforce, Navy, and the Marine Corps for less than 10 years. 

A fleet of these aircraft is supposed to replace older jet models, including the F16 and the A10.

‘These are stealth aircrafts. They’re supposedly highly invisible to radar,’ Diehl said.

While the F-35s, which cost $135 million, are still being tested and modified, Diehl said they have a good safety record. 

‘The newer airplanes tend to have a higher mishap rate than planes that have been around for awhile, and as they get old, the mishap rates starts to climb for mechanical reasons, but know that the 35 is a safe aircraft’ he said. 

Of all the crashes he has investigated in his career, 50 percent to 80 percent were a result of human error.

Diehl said the Naval Safety Center will treat the crash ‘like a crime scene, photograph everything, and meticulously take apart the components to eliminate all mechanical problems.’

He said he believes the investigation of the aircraft will take a few months, with a preliminary report released within 30 days.

The identity of the pilot has not been released.