Military Transport Plane Makes Emergency Landing After Clipping Fighter Jet Midair
THERMAL (CBSLA) — A military transport plane made an emergency landing Tuesday afternoon in a Riverside County field after clipping a fighter jet midair.
According to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, it was reported at about 4 p.m. that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the fighter jet in Imperial County.
The pilot of the fighter jet was able to safely eject and was being treated for unknown injuries, according to the military.
All eight crew members aboard the transport aircraft were reported safe after the plane landed in a field adjacent to the roadway. Those crew members were able to eject from the aircraft, landing nearby with parachutes.
The official cause of the crash was under investigation.