Florida Air Force base halts flying after recent crashes
Eglin Air Force Base is taking a safety “down day” on Thursday and plans to resume flying after the Memorial Day weekend following recent aircraft crashes, Brig. Gen. Scott Cain said in a video.
Safety pause and Memorial Day message from the commander, 96th Test Wing, Brig Gen. Scott Cain. #StaySafe #StayConnected #TeamEglin
— (@TeamEglin)May 20 2020
An Air Force fighter jet crashed while landing at the Florida base near Pensacola, but the pilot was able to eject and survived.
The F-35A Lightning II crashed Tuesday night on the base as the pilot returned from a routine training flight, the public affairs office at Eglin said in a news release.
The pilot was hospitalized in stable condition, the base said.
The pilot, whose name was not released, is a member of the 58th Fighter Squadron.
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The crash came four days after an F-22 fighter crashed 12 miles from the base. That pilot also ejected and survived.
Rich Barak of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
