The Marine Corps' version of F-35 has a unique feature that could have played a role in the South Carolina crash

Wed, 09/20/2023 - 15:12

An F-35B aircraft approaches a KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft to re-fuel as it flies over the North Sea having taken off from RAF Fairford on July 1, 2016, in Gloucestershire, England.
Matt Cardy/Getty Images

The debris of a crashed F-35 was found Monday in South Carolina after its pilot ejected during a mishap Sunday.
It's unclear why the pilot ejected, but the jet may have flown on autopilot for some time afterwards.
Though it's not certain, a special seat feature in the F-35B could've played a role in the unusual incident.

Even after debris from a missing F-35 stealth fighter was discovered in South Carolina earlier this week, questions remain about why and how the pilot bailed out of the jet in the first place.