F-22 Crashes On Eglin Air Force Base Range During Training Mission

Eglin Air Force Base, Florida – An F-22 assigned to the 43rd Fighter Squadron, part of the 325th Fighter Wing currently based at Eglin AFB, crashed at approximately 9:15 a.m. this morning. The location of the accident was 12 miles northeast of Eglin main base on the test and training range.

The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft and has been transported to the 96th Medical Group hospital on Eglin for evaluation and observation. He is currently in stable condition. The name of the pilot has not been released.

There were no other individuals on the aircraft. There was no loss of life or civilian property damage related to the accident.

First responders from the 96th Test Wing are on the scene. The crash site is secured.

The mission was a routine training flight with the 33rd Fighter Wing. A board of officers will investigate the accident.

For further information, please call Team Eglin Public Affairs at 910-261-5478 or email at teameglin@gmail.com.

A four jet team, consisting of two T-38’s, one F-22, and one F-35 from from Eglin AFB were taken part in a scheduled flyover for Bay and Gulf County to honor COVID-19 emergency personnel and health care workers as part of the Air Force Salute to Heroes.

At the same time flyover was happening in Bay County, another F-22 aircraft from Eglin Air Force Base crashed north of Niceville, Florida on a training mission. 

Exclusive Video from WKGC Studio building at Gulf Coast State College.

The flyover was scheduled to leave Panama City and head towards Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe, after flying in from Panama City Beach as you see in the start of video below. As the video follows the jets over Panama City, the jets break off formation at end and begin heading back towards Eglin Air Force Base, which is to the northwest from Panama City. They did not continue to Gulf County as scheduled. This appears to be about time that a separate F-22 aircraft went down just north of Niceville, Florida according to Air Force Officials.

Doppler radar from Eglin Air Force Base (KEVX) appears to show crash site of where the jet went down. However it appears a large woods fire has resulted with the southeast winds over the Florida Panhandle.