<br><div><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em__fp gnt_em_vp__tp gnt_em__el" aria-label="Video - F-35 pilot left with 'serious injuries' after New Mexico crash"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">A <a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/09/23/400k-helmet-1-7-trillion-cost-and-reliable-half-the-time-f-35-jet/70947552007/" data-t-l=":b|e|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">F-35 military fighter jet</a> crashed off of the airfield at Albuquerque International Sunport on Tuesday, airport and fire officials said.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">According to the sunport, the pilot was "conscious and breathing" and was transported to the hospital. U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin identified the plane as an F-35B that was en route from Fort Worth, Texas to Edwards Air Force Base in California, and had stopped at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico to refuel.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">"This was a U.S. Government-owned and operated aircraft that was being flown by a government pilot who safely ejected," the manufacturer said in an emailed statement to USA TODAY. "The aircraft was a test jet equipped with Technology Refresh 2 (TR-2) and was transferring to Edwards AFB for additional test equipment modification."</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">"Safety is our priority, and we will follow appropriate investigation protocols," the company's statement reads.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">In a <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/abqfire/status/1795614493898399897" data-type="link" data-id="https://x.com/abqfire/status/1795614493898399897" data-t-l=":b|z|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">video posted to X on Tuesday</a>, Albuquerque Fire Rescue Lt. Jason Fejer, the public information officer for the department, said they started receiving reports of a possible aircraft down just before 2 p.m. local time.</p><aside aria-label="advertisement" class="gnt_m gnt_x gnt_x__lbl gnt_x__al"/><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">According to a <a target="_blank" href="https://armscontrolcenter.org/f-35-joint-strike-fighter-costs-challenges/" data-t-l=":b|z|k|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a" rel="noopener">fact sheet for the F-35</a>, the aircraft is worth $135 million dollars.</p><p class="gnt_ar_b_p"><strong class="gnt_ar_b_al">Plane crash survivors:</strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/28/plane-crash-missouri-pilot-skydivers-parachute-out/73875219007/" rel="noopener" data-t-l=":b|e|spike click:9|${u}" class="gnt_ar_b_a">7 people, including pilot, parachute out of small plane before crash in Missouri hayfield</a></p><aside class="gnt_em gnt_em_cp gnt_em_cp__sp" aria-label="Headlines on heroic saves and stories of survival" data-c-cta="TO THE RESCUE"><div class="gnt_em_cp_cw"><img class="gnt_em_cp_cw_i" data-g-r="lazy" data-gl-src="https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/04/22/USAT/73411069007-carnival-paradiselocatesboatatsearescues-27-people.jpg?crop=511,382,x0,y0&width=258&height=193&format=pjpg&auto=webp" decoding="async" alt=""/></div></aside><h2 class="gnt_ar_b_mt">Pilot was able to get out but sustained injuries</h2><p class="gnt_ar_b_p">Fejer confirmed that the pilot was able to get out and was transported to the hospital with "serious injuries." The department also...</p></div> <style> .wrapper { text-align: center; } </style> <div class="wrapper"> <a class="button" href ="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/05/29/f-35-fighter-jet-crashes-albuquerque-airport/73890261007/">Read more <span>➤</span></a> </div>
