An F-22 has crashed

[+JSF_Aggie 1,291]

[u.S. Air Force News Release]

 

Edwards AFB, Calif. -- An Air Force F-22A fighter crashed about 10 a.m. today approximately 35 miles northeast of Edwards AFB, CA.

 

The aircraft is from Edwards Air Force Base. At the time of the accident, it was on a test mission.

 

One pilot was on board, and the pilot's condition is unknown at this time.

 

A board of officers will investigate the accident.

 

As soon as additional details become available, they will be provided.

[MigBuster 2,884]

wow - hope the pilots ok!

[B52STRATO 215]

Mmm bad news, any informations about F-22's squadron ?

[hanker422 0]

Yahoo reported it was Edwards' 412th Test Wing

[B52STRATO 215]

Thank hanker, hope the pilot survive

[macelena 1,070]

No news so far, bad news. Keep hope that he´s alive

[DWCAce 19]

Here's another link, few details.

 

 

Hoping the best for the pilot.

[Nesher 628]

they know the cause or what??

hope the pilot is okay!!!

[serverandenforcer 33]

Pilot was killed.

 

LINK: F-22 crash

Edited March 26, 2009 by serverandenforcer

[+76.IAP-Blackbird 3,557]

RIP

[Caesar 305]

I Deo quom.

 

S!

[Silverbolt 104]

S!

[+Dave 2,322]

Wow David Cooley, just saw him not to long ago talking at an airshow.

 

RIP

[+Jarhead1 27]

RIP

[Vampyre 24]

This one was pretty bad. Our SAR guys were some of the first responders on the scene and they are pretty beat up about not being able to save him. My condolences go out to the family.

[+ST0RM 145]

A sad day all around. Over the past year, I've made 3 trips to Edwards in support of the F-22 CTF and directly worked with Mr. Cooley in the air during the flight tests. My condolences to his family.

[commander 0]

Hope that they figure out the problem. probably a system failure or structural.

[+Typhoid 231]

[macelena 1,070]

RIP. It took too much time to find out to be OK

[ONETINSOLDIER 2]

.

[Delta6Actual 0]

[Nesher 628]

<S>

[GwynO 16]

.

[kesegy 5]

Rest in peace, Mr. Cooley

[cgold 0]

"An Air Force F-22A fighter jet crashed Wednesday near Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing the test pilot, the Air Force said.

 

 

An F-22A fighter jet similar to this one crashed Wednesday during a test mission in California.

 

The single-seater crashed about 10:30 a.m. (1:30 p.m. ET) for unknown reasons, Air Force officials said.

 

Lockheed Martin said the test pilot, David Cooley, 49, of Palmdale, California, joined the company in 2003 and was a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

 

The fighter was on a test mission when it crashed about 35 miles northeast of Edwards AFB, where it was stationed, the Air Force said in a news release.

 

At $150 million apiece, the F-22A is the most expensive Air Force fighter.

 

In 2004, an F-22 Raptor crashed on a training mission in the Nevada desert. The pilot ejected and was not hurt, though the jet was destroyed.

 

The plane was designed in the 1980s to provide a stealthy method to enter Soviet air space and strike Soviet bombers if the USSR attempted a nuclear strike.

 

Once the Cold War ended, the Air Force found a new mission for the F-22 as a long-range fighter with a sophisticated stealth design and state-of-the-art equipment that no other plane could rival.

 

However, the rising cost of the plane and numerous design and software problems threatened the program, which was almost eliminated by Congress.

 

In the end, the aircraft survived, and most of the problems were fixed -- except for the price tag, which forced the Air Force to buy fewer aircraft."

 

-CNN

 

My question is how/why did this aircraft go down? F-22's aren't exactly prone to crashes...I believe.