An F-22 pilot has been released from the hospital in good condition after an F-22’s landing gear collapsed during a March 22 landing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., 325th Fighter Wing public affairs said. The cause of the accident, which occurred at 10:25 a.m., is under investigation, and the unit is not releasing more information at this point. It is too soon to assess the extent of the damage to the aircraft, a spokesperson said.
An F-22 experienced an almost identical accident a year ago, on March 15, 2021. That accident also involved an F-22 of the 325th Fighter Wing at Eglin. The 325th has been operating out of Eglin since Hurricane Michael destroyed much of Florida’s Tyndall Air Force Base in 2018.
The F-22 fleet, which now numbers 182 aircraft, has experienced 32 “Class A” mishaps and 50 “Class B” accidents over the past 21 years. A Class A accident involves a fatality, loss of the aircraft, or more than $2.5 million in damage. A Class B accident is one causing serious injury or between $500,000 and $2.5 million in damage. F-22 accidents of all kinds have increased substantially since 2015, and landing gear accidents are a common issue.