A missing F-35 stealth fighter may have kept flying after its pilot ejected. A pilotless Soviet jet once flew 500 miles before crashing in NATO territory.

• A F-35 stealth fighter went missing after a pilot ejected during a "mishap" on Sunday afternoon.
• It's unclear if the jet was left on autopilot and continued flying or if it crashed somewhere.
• If it kept flying, as reports indicate it may have, it could echo a Cold War incident involving a Soviet aircraft.

The curious case of a missing F-35 stealth fighter in South Carolina has authorities — and civilians — searching high and low, especially considering the jet may have continued flying on its own even after its pilot ejected.