A F-35 pilot spent 50 minutes on a conference call mid-air with engineers to solve a problem with a $200 million jet before it plummeted onto the runway at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, forcing him to eject from the aircraft, according to a report.

In harrowing footage shared on social media , the jet spiraled to the ground on January 28 and burst into flames after the pilot floated safely onto the runway thanks to their parachute. 3

The crash occurred due to ice in the hydraulic lines in the nose and main landing gears of the F-35, preventing them from deploying as needed, according to a crash report obtained by CNN.

After takeoff, the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear but was unable to do so. When lowering it again, the landing gear would not center and would

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