Pilot contacts emergency services after ejecting from F-35 and landing in residential backyard

A US Marines F-35 jet pilot, whose plane went missing, called emergency services from a South Carolina home where his parachute had landed. In an audio recording obtained by the BBC, the pilot could be heard saying that he was unsure about the whereabouts of his $100 million aircraft. The resident of the house where the pilot had landed also calmly explained the situation to the dispatcher. Debris from the jet was found a day after it disappeared. During the four-minute 911 call, the resident informed the confused dispatcher about the pilot's presence in his backyard and requested an ambulance. The 47-year-old pilot reported that he was feeling fine, except for some back pain after ejecting from the jet at around 2,000ft. He emphasized the need for a rescue operation and mentioned that he didn't know where the airplane had crashed. The Marine Corps stated that the pilot had ejected due to a malfunction and landed in a residential area near Charleston's international airport. Another 911 call from an unidentified source revealed that a pilot with a parachute had lost sight of the aircraft while descending through the weather. The Marine Corps suggested that the F-35's flight control software might have helped it remain stable even without the pilot's control. However, the search for the plane was hindered by its stealth capabilities and technology that erases its communications system if a pilot ejects. An investigation into the incident is currently underway. In a separate report, the US government highlighted issues such as inadequate training, a lack of spare parts, and complex repair processes that have led the F-35 fleet to be only around 55% effective.