The January 24, 2022 crash of a carrier-based F-35 fighter belonging to the air wing of the U.S. Navy’s carrier USS Carl Vinson is described as the outcome of a pilot error. An investigation, cited by Stars and Stripes, identifies the incident as the product of a single aviator’s misstep during approach and landing.
The findings indicate the lieutenant, a member of the 147th Assault Fighter Squadron, failed to complete an alignment maneuver as the aircraft touched down. Crucially, the pilot did not switch the engine thrust control from manual to automatic during the final approach. This oversight caused the jet to strike the deck with its thrust settings not properly managed, leading to an immediate fire and the aircraft leaving the flight deck in a dramatic arc.
The pilot ejected safely but sustained injuries. In the aftermath, five additional sailors on the carrier received injuries, and the on-deck wreckage of the F-35 collided with and damaged an EA-18G Growler that was also on the flight deck. The impact inflicted significant damage to the carrier’s deck as well, with repair costs estimated at about $120,000.
The aircraft, valued at approximately $115.3 million, was raised from the deck in March 2022 but was deemed unrecoverable for return to service. It was subsequently categorized as a total loss due to the extent of structural damage and the configuration of the crash.
According to the publication, the unnamed pilot was removed from flight duties in the wake of the incident but remains active in the U.S. Navy. The investigative commission recommended practical changes to flight gear, including equipping pilots’ helmets with an indicator showing when automatic landing guidance is disengaged, to reduce the risk of a repeat error in future operations.
Earlier reporting noted a separate incident in which a U.S. F-35 faltered during a landing attempt on the same carrier, the Carl Vinson, while the ship conducted scheduled operations in the South China Sea. The U.S. Pacific Fleet confirmed the context of the event, marking it as part of routine flight operations with potential implications for deck handling procedures and training standards during carrier deployments.
Across these accounts, officials emphasize the dangers inherent in carrier landings, where precise control of throttle, attitude, and flight path must be maintained under demanding, high-stress conditions. The Carl Vinson incident joins a broader pattern of reviews into how pilots manage complex automation systems and how decks support safe, rapid recoveries of aircraft in variable sea states and traffic density. The investigation underscores the ongoing focus within naval aviation on flight-crew training, equipment reliability, and the integration of new safety indicators to help crews verify that automatic landing modes are engaged when expected, and disengaged only when appropriate for manual control.