An F-35A fighter jet crashed at Eielson Air Force Base, near Fairbanks, just before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
A news release from the base said the pilot ejected from the aircraft and was not hurt, but that he was taken to Bassett Army Hospital on Fort Wainwright for evaluation.
The release said the crash resulted in “significant aircraft damage.” There are two F-35 squadrons based at Eielson, with a total of 54 of the advanced jet fighters. Each F-35A costs just over $82 million.
At a news conference at the Eielson’s visitors center, Col. Paul Townsend said the pilot declared an in-flight emergency before ejecting. Townsend said it’s too early to identify the cause of the emergency, but that it would be determined during the crash investigation.
A base spokesperson told the Anchorage Daily News Tuesday that the jet crashed on the runway.
The Eielson news release cautioned motorists not to stop along the Richardson Highway to look at the crash site. The main runway and flight line are visible from the highway. The release says federal law prohibits photographing the base and its aircraft from the highway.
Shelby Herbert contributed reporting.