Misplaced flashlight in F-35 engine results in $4 million in damage
By Sarah Sicard
Jan 19, 03:28 PM
An F-35A Lightning II, like the one seen here, was severely damaged when a misplaced flashlight was sucked into the aircraft’s inlet engine. (Master Sgt. Ryan Campbell/Air National Guard)
A foreign object left inside an F-35 engine at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, in early 2023 caused nearly $4 million in damages, a recent Air Force accident investigation report revealed.
The item — a handheld flashlight — was sucked into the engine’s air intake during a maintenance ground run on the night of March 15, Air & Space Forces Magazine first reported. The aircraft belonged to the 56th Fighter Wing.
During an idling procedure, a team of three maintainers started the engine without issue before going through typical checks, including idling for five minutes to monitor for fuel leaks.
It wasn’t until the airmen turned off the engine that anything seemed amiss. During the shutdown, one maintainer noted “abnormal noises.” None of the airmen were injured.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-air-force/2024/01/19/misplaced-flashlight-in-f-35-engine-results-in-4-million-in-damage/
