USAF F-22A suffers landing mishap at Eglin AFB

A Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptor assigned to the USAF’s 325th Fighter Wing (FW) has been damaged after the fifth-generation air superiority stealth fighter suffered a mishap upon landing at Eglin AFB, Florida, on March 22.

The incident occurred at approximately 1025hrs (local time), when the F-22A was arriving at the Florida base. After touching down on Runway 19, the aircraft’s left main landing gear collapsed, causing it to veer off the runway and onto a grassy area near the taxiway. The pilot was not injured in this attrition event.

In a press release, the Eglin AFB Public Affairs Office said: “Emergency crews responded immediately and were on the scene. The pilot involved in the mishap was released from the hospital and is in good condition. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mishap is underway.

While the serial number of the aircraft involved in this attrition case remains unknown, it has been confirmed that the F-22A belonged to the 325th FW at Tyndall AFB, Florida. The wing comprises two Raptor units: the 43rd Fighter Squadron (FS) ‘Hornets’ – which is responsible for carrying out advanced training for F-22A pilots – and the 95th FS ‘Boneheads’ (a combat-coded squadron). The 325th transitioned to the Raptor in 2003 and the 95th completed its first six-month combat deployment with the type in May 2015.