Photo: Getty Images
Audio from a 911 call made in relation to a Marine pilot ejecting from an F-35 fighter jet that went missing was obtained and shared by NBC News.
The call, which was released by the Charleston County, South Carolina, government, includes a local resident explaining that the Marine pilot of an F-35B Lightning II fighter jet had parachuted into their backyard on Sunday (September 17).
“I guess we’ve got a pilot in our house, and he says he got ejected," the person said.
"I'm sorry — what happened?" the confused dispatcher responded.
"We've got a pilot in the house, and I guess he landed in my backyard, and we're trying to see if we can an ambulance to the house, please," the caller said.
The pilot, who said he was 47 years old, then gets on the call and claims he experienced "an aircraft failure" before ejecting at around 2,000 feet, noting that he suffered some back pain.
"We have a military jet crash. I’m the pilot. We need to get rescue rolling. I’m not sure where the airplane is," the pilot said. "It would have crash-landed somewhere. I ejected."
The pilot is also heard asking whether a plane was reported to have crashed in the area. Military officials have not released a specific reason for the pilot's ejection, but did claim the incident was caused by a "malfunction."
The U.S. fighter jet was reported missing by the Joint Base Charleston, an air base located in North Charleston, who said it was working alongside Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort to "locate an F-35 that was involved in a mishap" that took place on Sunday. The jet was found on Monday (September 18) crashed in a wooded area in South Carolina about 60 miles from the location where the pilot parachuted to the ground, state law enforcement announced at the time.
All Marine Corps aircrafts were grounded for two days as the branch discussed "aviation safety matters and best practices" following the incident.
"During the safety stand down, aviation commanders will lead discussions with their Marines focusing on the fundamentals of safe flight operations, ground safety, maintenance and flight procedures, and maintaining combat readiness," the Pentagon said in a statement obtained by NBC News.