The F-35 jet that crashed in South Carolina and the pilot who ejected from the jet have provided endless yucks during the late Summer period. It’s really not funny. The fifth generation fighter jet costs about $80 million per plane but is only mission capable about half the time. A lack of service facilities, technical data and parts are among the myriad maintenance issues. As Deanna wrote early this week, it’s funny since the pilot survived. It’s very sad that our military is focused on Drag shows and pronouns and not maintenance, training and efficient use of resources.

Let’s laugh anyway. Have you heard the latest?

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

The F-35B Lightning II jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin and operated by the Marine Corps since 2015, took off from Joint Base Charleston on Sunday afternoon. It was one of two planes involved in a routine training flight, Capt. Joe Leitner, spokesperson for the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, told reporters, according to The Post and Courier.
Just before 2 p.m., one of the pilots ejected, parachuting into a home’s backyard in Charleston, two defense officials said. The pilot, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
After 5 p.m., Joint Base Charleston posted on social media that a “pilot ejected safely” following an afternoon “mishap” involving an F-35. Officials said they were focusing on a pair of lakes north of the base.
“If you have any information on the whereabouts of the F-35, please call our Base Defense Operations Center,” officials wrote.

Losing the jet is weird, but hey, it’s a stealth jet, right? What happened to the other jet? Did the other pilot just keep flying? Do pilots have “battle buddies”? Did he call in and say, “Hey guys, the pilot in the other plane just ejected. Do you want me to follow the other plane or what?” It’s so bizarre.

We did have a witness description of the jet crash. This guy is so Low Country. If you have been there you know.

They finally found an eye witness to corroborate the governments official story about the F-35…

Amazing.pic.twitter.com/lGjoYXvnVC

— Brenden Dilley (@WarlordDilley) September 20, 2023

THE PLANE, THE PLANE

They found the debris field, but they ain’t talking about much.

The Pentagon is facing urgent questions over how it lost an $80million aircraft that was finally found crashed in a field just 80 miles from its base following a frantic 28-hour search. The Marine pilot of the F-35B Lightning II took off on Sunday from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina – but an unexplained issue forced him to eject. The plane was flying in tandem with another jet, which for some reason returned to base after the mishap rather than following the pilot-less aircraft. The second F-35 pilot, who had also been on the training mission, landed without any problems, base spokesman Tech. Sgt. James Cason said.

The other pilot just flew back to the base. If the military brass know anything, they aren’t telling Congresscritter Nancy Mace and the pilot ejected in her district:

A PILOT IN THE HOUSE

This is the part where the story gets really strange:

In a newly released 911 audio recording, the pilot who ejected from the F-35 fighter jet that went missing last weekend is heard requesting an ambulance from a South Carolina home. In the four-minute-long recording, the homeowner is heard telling the 911 dispatcher that the pilot parachuted into his backyard and needed help.

“We got a pilot in the house, and I guess he landed in my backyard, and we’re trying to see if we could get an ambulance to the house, please,” the homeowner said in the call, shared by NBC News. The pilot is then heard on the call, telling the dispatcher: “Ma’am, a military jet crashed. I’m the pilot. We need to get the rescue rolling. I’m not sure where the airplane is. It would have crash-landed somewhere. I ejected.”

Listen to this and laugh and cry:

Probably one of the strangest 911 calls you’ll ever hear. Home owner calling after the F-35 pilot comes down in a parachute in his backyard. pic.twitter.com/cXS2pP23PX

— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) September 22, 2023

I don’t blame the 911 operator for not getting the drift the first time. A pilot in someone’s house is not the norm. She could have at least acknowledged the odd situation, before she said she was required to ask certain questions. And, the pilot! Didn’t he have a Marine Corps Air Station number he could call? He says he ejected because the aircraft failed. Not because of weather. And yet, the plane flew for another 80 miles. Bizarre!

I get that ejecting out of a high-performance fighter jet and parachuting 2000 feet to the ground would be a little discombobulating. Not how you expected your day to go. I am also sure that the pilot hurt his back.

So many questions about the pilots, the planes, the maintenance and the protocols. It’s only funny because no one died. A pilot in the house is just funny.

Featured Image: H. Michael Miley/flickr/cropped/Creative Commons