'Two engines out... we're going down now': Frenzied audio from stricken air tanker reveals crew's response after collision with $100m F-35 stealth jet which forced the fighter pilot to parachute to safety
- An F-35B fighter jet crashed in Imperial County, California after colliding with a KC-130J aircraft on Tuesday afternoon
- Collision occurred while the F-35B was being refueled by the tanker mid air
- The F-35B somehow ended up hitting the tanker, causing it to crash to the ground and burst into flames
- Pilot managed to escape and parachute to safety - he is being treated for injuries
- KC-130 ended up making an emergency landing in a field near Thermal, California
- All eight crew members aboard the tanker survived and were unharmed
Alarming audio from a stricken air tanker which collided with a military fighter jet in California reveals how the crew reported having 'two engines out... we're leaking fuel, and likely on fire.'
The crew of the KC-130J tanker declared a mid-air emergency to LA flight controllers who asked them to confirm that they were 'going down now' after a refueling operation went wrong.
The tanker was forced into an emergency landing after hitting an F-3B military fighter jet, which crashed near the Salton Sea on Tuesday afternoon after the fighter pilot had parachuted to safety.
The tanker came down in a field but the eight crew members all escaped unhurt, while the F-35B pilot is being treated for injuries after ejecting from his plane.
A F-35B fighter jet (circled in stock image) crashed near the Salton Sea in southern California on Tuesday afternoon after colliding with a KC-130J tanker during a refueling (pictured) operation
The audio recording posted on LiveATC reveals how the tanker, flying with the callsign RAIDER 50, raised the alarm with the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center in Palmdale, California.
'LA Center, LA Center, RAIDER 50 declaring an emergency, midair collision with VOLT 93,' the transmission said.
'We have two engines out, we're leaking fuel, and likely on fire, and in emergency descent at this time. RAIDER 50.'
Responding to the emergency, a controller asked the crew to confirm their military operations area, adding: 'You said you were going down now?'.
The RAIDER crew replied: 'We declare an emergency. We still have partial control of the aircraft. Two engines out. We are aiming towards, uh' - before the transmission from the the tanker cuts out.
The LA controllers then try to make contact again, while another voice reports a 'plume of black smoke' from the time that the emergency was reported.
Another person says that the impact was 'prior to his last transmission', suggesting the smoke was not from the moment the tanker hit a field.
LA Center then appears to re-establish contact with the RAIDER before the tanker comes to ground, although its crew could not be heard before the recording cut out.
The tanker (pictured on Tuesday) was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Thermal, California, just east of the airport. All eight crew members on board were unharmed
#BREAKING A plane made an emergency landing in a farm field in Thermal just East if the airport. Early reports of 8 on board. It reportedly clipped another plane mid-air. We are live in scene wirh the early details. @KESQ pic.twitter.com/b4rDWJgoat
— Jake Ingrassia (@JakeKESQ) September 30, 2020
The F-35B combat jet (stock image) was reported to have 'disintegrated' after crashing into the ground
The US Marine Corps confirmed the collision occurred during a refueling operation, during which a tanker transfers fuel to a receiver mid air, allowing it to remain airborne for a longer period of time.
At around 4pm local time, 'an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated,' The USMC said in a statement.
'The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe. The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation.'
Details on the pilot's condition and the extent of his injuries were not immediately released.
Eye witnesses took to Twitter to report seeing the pilot parachuting out of the fighter jet before hitting the ground.
Footage shared on social media showed the jet bursting into flames upon impact
The KC-130J was able to make an emergency landing in a field near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, California
One user described the F-35 fighter aircraft as being 'fully engulfed' in flames by the time it impacted the ground.
First responders on the ground also reported that the jet 'disintegrated' after bursting into flames.
A Blackhawk helicopter was deployed to the scene in search of survivors, according to reports.
Meanwhile, the KC-130, used to transport military equipment including helicopters, landed safely in a field near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, California.
Both aircraft were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, an official said.
Imperial County is located about two hours drive east of San Diego.
The family of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole combat jets, one oft the most expensive in the world, have been plagued with issues and have suffered multiple crashes over the years.
Most recently in May, an Air Force F-35A belonging to the 58th Fighter Squadron crashed while landing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The pilot survived after ejecting safely.
Almost exactly two years ago on September 28, 2018, an F-35B crashed outside the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. The pilot, again, managed to eject safely.
The cause of the accident was determined to be from a faulty fuel tube, prompting officials to ground all F-35s to inspect the fleet on October 11. They were returned to flight status the following day.
In April 2019, a Japanese F-35A from the Misawa air base crashed off the coast of Japan during a training operation.
The pilot, Major Akinori Hosomi, had disappeared during the mission and was later found to had crashed in the Pacific Ocean.
The F-35s were first introduced to the US Military in 2015, with the first F-35B entering the US Marine Corp in July that year.
The aircraft has three different variants, including the F-35A, used by the US Air Force, that uses conventional takeoff and landing, the F-35B, which has a short take-off and vertical landing, and the F-35C, used by the US Navy, that is designed for catalpult-assisted takeoff.
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