On January 24, 2022, a U.S. Navy F-35C Lightning II experienced a “landing mishap” coming aboard the USS Carl Vinson in the South China Sea. The pilot ejected safely and was rescued by helicopter, but seven sailors were injured. It was the second crash landing of an F-35 in January. The F-35C is the tailhook-equipped CATOBAR variant of the Lightning II, optimized for “Catapult-Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery.” It does not feature the STOVL abilities of the F-35B model.
As the Navy investigates and recovers, or attempts to recover, the lost aircraft, online speculation roared when a single image was leaked that appears to show the F-35C partially submerged in the ocean and surrounded by frothy water, minus its canopy. Many who speculated the image was fake were quieted when amateur video leaked a day later, supposedly taken from the rear of the carrier as the Lightning came in.
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In the 17-second video, the jet’s turn to final and approach look mostly stable, accompanied by the large stabilator movements now expected of modern jets at slow airspeeds. The massive Pratt & Whitney F135 engine spools rapidly at the last moment, followed by the sound of impact and a visible puff of smoke and debris as the jet passes overhead, presumably onto the carrier deck. As you’d imagine, online speculation has since covered everything from pilot error to potential software bugs involved with the flight controls.
A more urgent task is recovering the aircraft from the bottom of the China Sea, something the military wants to do ASAP lest the Chinese government get its hands on the aircraft and discover military secrets contained in its hardware and software.
