US military air tanker lands on its belly after colliding with F-35B jet during mid-air refueling in California (PHOTOS)
A US Marine Corps F-35B fighter plane has collided with a KC-130J refueling aircraft. The jet crashed as the tanker was forced to make an emergency landing in the middle of a field.
The two planes collided in mid-air during a refueling operation at around 4pm local time on Tuesday, the Naval Air Facility El Centro reported.
The F-35B pilot ejected to safety as the jet crashed in the desert near Salton City.
The tanker, meanwhile, was forced to make an emergency landing in the middle of a field near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in the town of Thermal. All eight crew members were unharmed.
Pictures of the C130 that made a belly landing after coming in contact with a F35. pic.twitter.com/rMW1ciI5e6
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) September 30, 2020
Photos from the scene published by local media show the KC-130J lying on its belly with two of its four propellers missing.
An investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash.
Another US Marine Corps F-35B crashed in South Carolina in 2018. Its pilot also safely ejected, and there were no casualties on the ground.
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