South China Sea. Incredible F-35C accident on the USS Carl Vinson

As a result of the accident in January 2022, six sailors were injured, and the pilot was able to safely eject.

However, the Navy had to go through a difficult operation to extract the destroyed machine.

The Americans could not allow the sunken F-35 to be in the water for a long time, because there was a risk of interception by Chinese intelligence services.

Filled with modern technology, the fighter will provide the Chinese with valuable information on US military technology. The process of removing the debris from the US Navy took a month.

Recall that the US Navy regularly conducts so-called freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea – where the accident took place, and Washington opposes Beijing’s territorial claims in this basin, and supports its allies.

As reported by Fox News The results of the investigation have been published US Attorney’s Office. It is clear from them The fault for causing the accident rests solely with the pilot.

The report said the accident caused millions of dollars in damages by damaging the EA-18G Growler aircraft that was on board the aircraft carrier. In addition, several hundred thousand were spent on repairing the hull and equipment of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

According to the investigation, it was just before the accident The pilot made a maneuver for which he had not been sufficiently trained. maneuver Sierra Break Hotel It consists in a gradual deceleration before landing thanks to turning the fighter through 360 degrees.

But the pilot forgot to put the machine into automatic mode afterwards, but acted as if he had.

As a result, despite warnings from the flight service, the man was unable to react properly. Which ended with a collision with the deck of an aircraft carrier and the launch of a machine worth nearly $100 million.

According to the American media, The unlucky pilot remained in the Navy. Now, however, he has been denied the right to fly.