An image of the F-22 shared on social media shows the Raptor sitting on its nose on the tarmac at Eglin AFB.
An F-22 Raptor, assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing, experienced a ground mishap at on the flightline at Eglin AFB, Florida, at approximately 3:30PM LT on Mar. 15, 2021, the base’s social media account reported.
“The F-22 experienced an in-flight emergency. The aircraft landed safely. There was one person on board. Fire crews responded immediately and the pilot was transported to flight medicine for an evaluation.An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the mishap is underway.”
A photograph, reportedly taken at Eglin AFB after the mishap, shows the Raptor suffering what appears to be a nose-gear failure.
As mentioned, the F-22 is part of the 325th Fighter Wing, which is assigned to Tyndall but moved part of the fleet to different Raptor bases, including Eglin AFB, following Hurricane Michael in 2018.
The mishap comes 10 month after another Eglin’s F-22 was involved in a serious incident. In fact, on May 15, 2020, another Raptor, assigned to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 325th Fighter Wing, based at Eglin AFB, crashed 12 miles northeast of Eglin AFB main base on the test and training range. The pilot ejected safely and was transported to the 96th Medical Group hospital on Eglin for evaluation and observation.
