The US Navy reported earlier this week its first F35C accident at sea. The plane crashed into an aircraft carrier, USS Carl Vinson. The plane crashed while trying to land. Seven crew members were injured in the crash.
It occurred while the carrier was operating at the South China Sea. The F35C crashed while performing a routine flight operation. It was found by the remotely controlled vehicle, CURV-21.
The CURV-21 attached specialist rigging and other equipment to the plane. It also attached lift cables to the aircraft. CURV-21 helped to rescue the aircraft from below the ocean floor. It has recovered aircraft in the past from very deep waters.
Now, a team of engineers is preparing to retrieve the F35C. Ultra Deep Solutions of Singapore was hired by the US Navy for this job. The process will take 120 days, depending upon the depth. There are no plans to move the aircraft to a specific location, but it's possible that China will monitor the operation.
The Navy reported that it was recovered from a depth approximately 12,400ft. The aircraft sustained damage to its rear fuselage and the S9 skin was punctured. The flames also burned the tail of the plane. The pilot was safely ejected. Although there are no further details, it is possible that the pilot's aircraft was microburst from the deck.
A video circulating on social media showed the F35C approaching the carrier before it crashed. This footage was apparently taken by a member of the crew of the carrier. The video went viral online in China and other countries. There was controversy about the validity of this video.
A senior chief on board the carrier said that the video was circulating in a smoke pit. He also said that the senior yeoman, a Capt. Scott Miller had instructed his crew to delete the video.
It's unclear whether the video was an official document or simply a rumor. It appears that the video was accessed and circulated by several Navy personnel including five officers. There are also allegations that the video was leaked without proper clearance.
The F35C is the best stealth fighter in the world. It's a member of the US Navy's "Argonauts" and belongs to Strike Fighter Squadron 147. It is also one of the most recent jets in the Navy fleet. It can fly for about 12 days each year, but is expected to fly for much longer. It's also been claimed that the aircraft could have suffered power degradation.
The Navy has also been preparing for F35C recovery over the last month. The Navy has also acquired specialized salvage equipment. The salvage operation may take anywhere from 10 to 15 business days depending upon the depth.
The Navy still has much to learn about this crash. The aircraft was assigned by the Strike Fighter Squadron 147. This was the first US Marine Corps unit with a F-35C to deploy on an aircraft carrier. This was the first incident in which a US Navy carrier-based aircraft collided while on an offshore deployment mission.