NORTH CHARLESTON – An investigation is underway to determine what prompted a pilot to eject from a military jet Sept. 17 near North Charleston and to locate the aircraft.
Joint Base Charleston said its working with local emergency responders to determine what it described as a “mishap” involving a Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort F-35B Lightning II fighter jet.
The pilot, after safely ejecting, was picked up near South Kenwood Drive and transported to a local medical center. He is in stable condition, according to a news release from the Joint Base Charleston.
A second aircraft was able to return to Joint Base Charleston without incident.
The military and civilian authorities are asking the public to contact the JB Charleston Base Defense Operations Center at 843-963-3600 if anyone has information to help in the recovery of the jet.
According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office report in May, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is the most expensive weapon system program operated by the Department of Defense which estimates the cost at $1.7 trillion to buy, operate and sustain the program over its lifetime. The May