Sep 22, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Military pilot asked 911 dispatcher for help after ejecting from fighter jet

April Rubin

Military fighter jet — An F-35B Lightning II launches aboard the USS Essex in preparation for the F-35B's first combat strike in 2018. Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Freeman/U.S. Navy via Getty Images

The military pilot who ejected from a fighter jet in a "mishap" last weekend asked a 911 dispatcher for help in an emergency call immediately after the incident, the AP reports.

Driving the news: "A military jet crashed. I'm the pilot. We need to get rescue rolling," the pilot said in the call. "I'm not sure where the airplane is. It would have crash landed somewhere. I ejected."

The pilot estimated that he parachuted about 2,000 feet to the ground, and he said that his back hurt "a little bit," but that he was otherwise OK.

Catch up quick: Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina asked for the public's help in locating the F-35B Lightning II jet, which costs more than $80 million.

A debris field was found on Monday in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, about two hours from the base.
The U.S. Marine Corps had a two-day aviation stand-down to discuss safety fundamentals and flight procedures with the Marines.
The Navy is investigating the incident. It has not yet said what the "mishap" was that caused the pilot to eject.

Go deeper: Marine Corps grounds planes after debris from missing U.S. fighter jet found

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Military pilot asked 911 dispatcher for help after ejecting from fighter jet

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