Investigators release report on what damaged an F-35 engine at Luke Air Force Base
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U.S. Marine Corps
F-35B Lightning II jets at at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, in 2016.
The Air Force has released findings of an investigation into what caused major damage to an F-35 fighter jet at Luke Air Force Base in the West Valley.
F-35 engines are made by the company Pratt & Whitney. The Air Force report says they cost $14 million.
Last March, a Luke Air Force Base crew was testing an F-35 for fuel leaks. As the jet’s engine shut down, the crew heard a noise.
Investigators say damage beyond local repair was caused by a handheld flashlight.
The engine ingested the flashlight, causing an estimated $3.9 million in damage.
They blame the accident on an incomplete tool inventory and the crew not following guidance on what to do before running an F-35’s engine.
