A pilot failing to advance power before initiating landing gear retraction was the cause of a May 31 F-22A mishap at Tyndall AFB, Fla., according to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report of the incident released last week.
The AIB report president found “clear and convincing” evidence that the pilot’s failure to “advance the aircraft’s engines to military power” and the pilot’s “premature” retracting of the landing gear during a “touch-and-go” landing caused the mishap. Without sufficient thrust, the aircraft settled back to the runway, landing on its underside before sliding along the runway to a stop.
Though there were no fatalities or “significant” injuries or damage to civilian property, the Air Force estimates repair costs to the F-22A at approximately $35 million. The damaged areas include the main weapons bay doors, the nose landing gear doors, the outboard main landing gear doors and the forward and aft edges of the horizontal stabilizers. The service originally announced the findings in a Wednesday press release.
The Nov. 15 announcement came one day before another F-22 crashed at Tyndall AFB. The service in a statement said, despite speculation, there was no indication the F-22’s oxygen system was at fault for the crash. The Air Force said a thorough investigation is being conducted (Defense Daily, Nov. 19).
The F-22 is developed by Lockheed Martin [LMT].