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The official report<\/a> released by \u00a0Pacific Air Forces\u00a0 revealed that the crash resulted primarily from \u00a0freezing hydraulic fluid\u00a0 contaminated with water in the landing gear shock absorbers. This contamination hindered the complete extension of the struts and led the weight sensors on the wheels to erroneously interpret that the plane was on the ground while it was still airborne.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Kamikaze Mode<\/strong> This false signal activated the \u201c\u00a0on-ground\u00a0\u201d control mode during flight, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. Fortunately, the pilot managed to eject and survived with only minor injuries, but the plane, valued at \u00a0$196.5 million\u00a0, was entirely lost.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=L47gzkwoime<\/a>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Emergency in Flight<\/strong> Immediately upon discovering the issue, the front landing gear was misaligned at \u00a017 degrees\u00a0 and could not retract. After consulting with engineers from \u00a0Lockheed Martin\u00a0 and a flight supervisor, the pilot attempted to reactivate the landing gear using two \u201c\u00a0touch-and-go\u00a0\u201d maneuvers. However, ice further blocked the primary landing gear, and during the second attempt, the sensors indicated that the aircraft had landed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This situation led to an automatic switch to Operation Mode on Land<\/a>, drastically reducing the control capabilities of the aircraft. The pilot, identified in the “MP” report<\/a>, managed to eject just before the plane went into a stall and fell uncontrollably. The aircraft ascended more than \u00a01,000 meters\u00a0 after the ejection, only to plummet vertically, a sequence captured in a video that quickly went viral.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Technical and Maintenance Factors<\/strong> The investigation concluded that ice accumulation on the struts, in combination with the misalignment of the front landing gear’s blocking hook, damaged metal components and inhibited proper system coupling. Additionally, the Weight on Wheels (WoW) sensors<\/a>, critical to the \u00a0F-35 Flight Control Logic (CLAWs)\u00a0, displayed vulnerabilities under extreme cold conditions, a concern \u00a0Lockheed Martin\u00a0 had previously warned about in maintenance bulletins. In essence, the ice “fooled” the software.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The report emphasized<\/a> that hydraulic fluid contamination resulted from poor management of hazardous materials and lapses in service protocols, which were considered contributing factors in the accident.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Implications and Lessons<\/strong> This incident underscored the complexity inherent in the advanced \u00a0automation\u00a0 of the F-35, where a sensor failure can trigger a *domino effect* in the control software. Although another F-35A successfully landed nine days later despite facing a similar issue, the research board stated that given the available information, the safest choice would have been an immediate landing order or a controlled ejection rather than risking another maneuver attempt.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While the report did not issue formal recommendations for policy changes, it stressed the necessity for strict compliance with maintenance protocols, oversight of hydraulic fluid usage, and preparation for operations in Arctic climates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"For](\"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1756717359_983_We-thought-the-most-challenging-summer-for-the-F-35-was.jpeg\"\/)
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