Pilot safe after F-35 military jet crash lands at Alaska Air Force base

The pilot declared an emergency situation before ejecting. (AP Photo: Aijaz Rahi, File)

In short:

A US Air Force F-35 fighter jet has crashed and erupted into flames after a training exercise at a base in Alaska.

After the crash, the pilot was evaluated at a medical facility and is now in a stable condition.

What's next?

An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing within the US Air Force.

A US Air Force F-35 fighter jet was seen spiralling and tumbling vertically before crashing during at a training exercise at a base in Alaska.

The pilot managed to eject from the aircraft and was later reported to be safe, after being taken to a medical facility.

According to Colonel Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, the plane experienced an "in-flight malfunction".

"The impact did occur near the air field, it was during the landing phase, and it had been airborne for a period of time," he said.

"The pilot did declare an in-flight emergency prior to what ended up being the crash of the aircraft."

An unverified video of what appears to be the crash has been posted on social media, showing the pilot gliding down in a parachute alongside the fighter jet, which is spiralling into the ground.

After hitting the ground, the jet erupted into a fireball.

He added it was conducting a training mission but he denied to comment on what the mission entailed.

The plane crashed during the landing phase of the flight at Eielson Air Force Base, he said.

The pilot had declared an in-flight emergency prior to the crash and was in stable condition and being evaluated at a medical facility, he said.

The crash, which occurred early Tuesday afternoon, caused significant damage to the aircraft, the US Air Force said in a statement.

Colonel Townsend in the statement said the air force would conduct "a thorough investigation in hopes to minimise the chances of such occurrences from happening again."

"Our people are our most important resource, and we are committed in ensuring their safety and security," he said.

The plane experienced an "inflight malfunction". (Supplied: TheIntelFrog/X)

Eielson Air Force Base is about 40 kilometres south of Fairbanks.

Eielson was selected in 2016 to host 54 F-35s, spawning an expansion to include 36 new buildings and dozens of housing units. 

As of July 2024, the average flyaway costs per US Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet costs approximately $US102.1million ($160million).

Australia has 72 F-35 fighter jets in its Air Force.

Fighter jet pilot parachuted to safety

Photo shows Two army personnel standing outside a brick home.

The pilot, who has not been identified by the Marine Corps, did not have serious injuries and has been discharged from the hospital.

With the capability to fly more than 12 hours at a time, the F-35 can reach almost anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere in one mission.

In May last year, an F-35 fighter jet on its way from Texas to Edwards Air Force Base near Los Angeles crashed after the pilot stopped to refuel in New Mexico. 

In October, a Marine investigation blamed the pilot of an F-35 for ejecting from the aircraft when he didn't need to, causing the fighter to fly unmanned for 11 minutes before it crashed in rural South Carolina in 2023.

ABC/Wires