Fatal F-22A Maintenance Accident at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

Incident Overview and Immediate Cause On 15 March 2024, at 1155 local time, a U.S. Air Force airman assigned to the 90th Fighter Generation Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, sustained fatal injuries while performing maintenance on an F-22A aircraft, tail number AK 07-0137. The incident took place in Building 16670, Bay Five. The airman was killed when the aircraft's Configurable Rail Launcher (CRL) retracted into the weapons bay while his upper torso was inside the bay. His head was impinged between the plume deflector and the bulkhead, resulting in fatal head trauma. Emergency services were called immediately, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was administered while paramedics were en route. A physician declared the time of death at 1209 local time.