911 calls released of pilot who ejected from F-35 aircraft

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – 911 calls have been released of the calls made after a pilot ejected from a fighter jet and landed in a North Charleston neighborhood. The jet later crashed in Williamsburg County.

The four-minute recording captures the bizarre circumstances for the three people involved: a North Charleston resident explaining that a pilot parachuted into his backyard, the pilot who doesn’t know what happened to his F-35 jet and a puzzled dispatcher trying to make sense of it all.

The incident happened on Sunday evening when a pilot ejected from the aircraft following a malfunction. The pilot landed in the backyard of a home along South Kenwood Drive, which is close by the Charleston International Airport.

The pilot, who says he’s 47-years-old, reported feeling “okay” after falling from what he estimated was about 2,000 feet. In the phone call, you can hear him say his back hurts, then later in the call, he made another plea for medical attention.

The Marine Corps says the aircraft flew at an altitude of about 1,000 feet for another 60 miles after the pilot ejected and crashed in a rural area near Indiantown. It took more than a day to locate the wreckage.

Officials say the incident is still under investigation and results from an official review board could take months.