What happened
On the night of 19 May 2020, an F-35A, tail number 12-005053, operated by the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Operations Group, crashed on runway 30 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The aircraft was conducting a night tactical intercepts training mission when it approached the runway at approximately 202 KCAS, which was roughly 50 knots faster than the desired landing speed.
Upon touchdown, the aircraft's nose gear contacted the runway immediately after the main gear, following a shallow approach angle. The aircraft experienced a significant nose-high bounce. During the subsequent oscillations, the pilot attempted to recover by applying aft stick and full afterburner to initiate a go-around. However, the aircraft's flight control surfaces remained in a position that maintained a nose-down tendency. After several worsening bounces and an unsuccessful attempt to stabilize the aircraft, the pilot ejected safely, though they sustained nonlife threatening injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed by fire.
The investigation
The Accident Investigation Board (AIB) examined the flight control logic and the physical circumstances of the landing. Investigators analyzed the interaction between the pilot's manual inputs and the aircraft's Control Law (CLAW) during the landing roll, specifically how Weight on Wheels (WOW) switches affected the system. The board also reviewed the pilot's physiological state, including fatigue and cognitive degradation, as well as the accuracy of flight simulator models in representing the aircraft's actual pitch rate sensitivity during high-speed landings.