{"id":33699,"date":"2022-01-20T19:22:09","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T19:22:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/01\/20\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:00:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:00:15","slug":"human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/01\/20\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\/","title":{"rendered":"Human error, tech glitches and tape caused May 2020 F-22 crash"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Several mistakes \u2014 including maintenance, pilot and technology errors, plus a wayward piece of tape \u2014 compounded to cause the secretive May 2020 plane crash in Florida that totaled an F-22 Raptor fighter, according to the results of an Air Force investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Redacted results of a commander-directed inquiry into the $202 million incident, obtained by Air Force Times via the Freedom of Information Act, sheds the most light so far on how the accident transpired for one of the Air Force\u2019s most advanced airframes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air Force Times first reported in October 2021 that the F-22 grew increasingly wobbly upon takeoff, then refused to turn left and barrel-rolled into the ground after the pilot safely ejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The service said last year that a mismanaged wash caused the plane\u2019s demise, but didn\u2019t offer further details. It was one of nine major F-22 mishaps in fiscal 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/10\/13\/pilot-lost-control-of-wobbling-f-22-that-spiraled-to-the-ground-in-secretive-crash-last-year\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Pilot lost control of wobbling F-22 that spiraled to the ground in secretive crash last year<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">In the confusing aftermath of the crash, F-22 and F-35 fighter jets almost collided in midair as well.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The unnamed pilot involved in the May 15, 2020, incident was a captain serving as the 43rd Fighter Squadron\u2019s assistant operations director. The 43rd FS is the only Air Force unit that provides initial and requalification training for active-duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve F-22 pilots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Problems began two days earlier when maintainers towed in the advanced fighter jet for its monthly wash to help prevent corrosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A crew chief was tasked with managing the wash team of four maintainers to ensure they correctly cleaned the jet. The crew chief periodically checked in on their work but didn\u2019t stay throughout the process, and inspected the plane once the wash was done, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the technical order, or maintenance manual, that tells airmen how to wash the Raptor, a supervisor needs to watch over and participate in the cleaning. But the only team member with training in that role didn\u2019t know who the designated supervisor was supposed to be. Neither did the other three airmen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hurricane Michael, the Category 5 hurricane that forced F-22s to relocate from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, to nearby Eglin AFB in 2018, was partly to blame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe discipline and standardization of conducting washes in this unit suffered when operations moved from Tyndall AFB to Eglin AFB after Hurricane Michael,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/06\/14\/a-perfect-storm-airmen-f-22s-struggle-at-eglin-nearly-three-years-after-hurricane-michael\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"157\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Raptor-main_large.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">\u2018A perfect storm\u2019: Airmen, F-22s struggle at Eglin nearly three years after Hurricane Michael<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The 325th Fighter Wing may be nearing a breaking point as it approaches its third year in limbo after Hurricane Michael.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Airmen saw no problems during routine preflight checks run before and on the day of the crash, though it\u2019s unclear how thoroughly the jet was inspected. They missed something crucial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maintainers need to cover up electronics on the outside of an aircraft that would be damaged by water before they start a wash. But airmen left tape on a part of the F-22\u2032s air data system, known as a \u201cBeta port,\u201d that no one caught before the jet took flight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The port, manufactured by Collins Aerospace, is one of multiple pieces that collect and process information about a plane\u2019s activity. Then they send those figures to a flight control system that uses the data to tell the plane how to adjust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A series of human and technical issues quickly piled up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the jet was still on the runway, an alert popped up to tell the pilot that something was amiss with the flight control system. The pilot ignored it and started to climb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new emergency procedure, instituted for the F-22 just 15 days before the crash, told pilots to abort takeoff if a flight control system advisory comes up during departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pilot who would soon face that exact situation did not review the updates before signing off on the new file and wasn\u2019t aware of changes to the emergency protocol, the investigation found.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-smg-jwplayer-video\"><atype-video-jwplayer nostick=\"true\" playlisturl=\"https:\/\/cdn.jwplayer.com\/v2\/playlists\/fCzRqMW8?tags=cfea2ce3-cfdb-45b9-b359-5409d62cd648\" poster=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/video-poster-cfea2ce3-cfdb-45b9-b359-5409d62cd648.jpg\" aspectratio=\"16 \/ 9\" mute autostart=\"false\"><\/atype-video-jwplayer><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An animated video provided by the Air Force illustrates the crash of an F-22 Raptor fighter jet near Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on May 15, 2020.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An official in charge of F-22 standards had pinged airmen on the Slack chat app to let them know the flight manual had changed, but pilots aren\u2019t required to read Slack messages. Nor do they have to read the new material on their tablets in order to accept an updated flight manual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf the pilot had aborted the takeoff, the aircraft would have avoided the flying environment that depended on the left Beta port providing reliable air pressure data,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A week after the accident, multiple other pilots\u2019 tablets hadn\u2019t been updated with the new flight manual either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn my opinion, poor [technical order] distribution practices failed to proactively notify the F-22 community of the existence [of] a new publication and any critical flight safety changes contained in the new version,\u201d Col. Jonathan King, the accident investigation board president, said in the report. \u201cThis factor substantially contributed to the mishap.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked whether the incident has spurred any changes to how airmen learn of manual revisions, Capt. Sarah Johnson, a spokesperson for the 325th Fighter Wing, said the organization \u201cfollows Air Force guidance and procedures for technical order updates.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While airborne, the tape interfered with the port\u2019s ability to sense where the F-22 was in the air and gathered wrong information about the plane\u2019s position. The jet showed the pilot an altitude and airspeed that were off by about 1,000 feet and 40 knots, or 46 mph, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Typically, redundancies built into an F-22 allow it to still fly even when one component isn\u2019t working. The flight control system can determine which part is providing false data and turn it off, according to the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1309\" height=\"865\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png\" alt=\"Photos of the wreckage of an F-22 Raptor fighter jet that crashed on May 15, 2020, were included in an Air Force investigation report obtained by Air Force Times via the Freedom of Information Act. (Air Force)\" class=\"wp-image-65078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png 1309w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png?resize=300,198 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png?resize=768,508 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/image-1.png.png?resize=1024,677 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1309px) 100vw, 1309px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photos of the wreckage of an F-22 Raptor fighter jet that crashed on May 15, 2020, were included in an Air Force investigation report obtained by Air Force Times via the Freedom of Information Act. (Air Force)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, that backstop didn\u2019t kick in because the pilot was moving faster, and at a steeper angle, than what constitutes the F-22\u2032s \u201chappy place.\u201d The term refers to flying at no more than 1 G, 400 knots, or 20 degrees up; the jet was climbing at 480 knots, 5.5 G\u2019s and 55 degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe [pilot] was aware of the [flight control system\u2019s] happy place, but did not think about it during the departure,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Flight controls had permanently shut off one component of the air data system while the plane left the runway. Because the tape was interfering with another component, causing the jet to roll, the flight controls turned off a second piece of the sensor system to adjust for the pressure changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt this point, it was no longer possible for the [pilot] to recover the aircraft safely,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If he had stayed within the plane\u2019s \u201chappy place\u201d and reset the flight controls, the F-22\u2032s computer would have instead shut down the taped-over Beta port to cut off the faulty data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe [aircraft] would have been sufficiently controllable to perform a safe landing,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">F-22 manufacturer Lockheed Martin ran the scenario through a simulator about 100 times. Each time, the report said, the plane\u2019s wobbly departure caused the flight controls to turn off part of the air data sensors.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/08\/03\/maintenance-issue-after-washing-caused-mysterious-f-22-crash-in-2020\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"171\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/F-22.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Maintenance issue after washing caused mysterious F-22 crash in 2020<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">The Air Force recently revealed, more than a year after the accident, that it had not convened an accident investigation board to look into the crash due to operational security concerns.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al Killeffer, a spokesman for Collins Aerospace, the maker of the port, referred to the Air Force a query on whether the company has revamped its air data and flight control components following the crash, and whether related issues have affected any other jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Johnson declined to answer whether anyone was disciplined for their mistakes that day, citing privacy concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The wing \u201cremains focused on a maintenance culture that ensures assigned aircraft and equipment are safe, serviceable and properly configured to meet mission needs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Witness testimony revealed that \u201cclear violations\u201d have occurred during other F-22 washes, too, the report said. Johnson told Air Force Times that shoddy cleaning protocols haven\u2019t caused any other Raptor malfunctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Air Force lost a B-2 Spirit bomber in 2008 due to a similar issue. In that case, rain interfered with the air data sensor upon takeoff and sent the stealth aircraft plummeting to the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/07\/09\/sloppy-maintenance-culture-multiple-errors-caused-f-22-to-overheat-investigation-finds\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1000w_q95-34.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Sloppy maintenance culture, multiple errors caused F-22 to overheat, investigation finds<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Temperatures inside the Raptor reached at least 600 degrees Fahrenheit before a maintainer triggered the emergency stop.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the F-22 accident\u2019s aftermath, the 43rd Fighter Squadron \u201cmade some internal adjustments to provide more oversight on aircraft washes,\u201d Johnson said. She did not provide further details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The coronavirus pandemic contributed to the decay of robust maintenance practices as well. Leaders at the 43rd Fighter Squadron and 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron each broke into two teams and began switching between in-person and telework every other week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMost meetings, to include pilot meetings, were canceled or held virtually in accordance with COVID-19 mitigation directives,\u201d the report said. \u201cThis disrupted the normal flow of communication and learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In total, the F-22 mishap cost more than $202 million in damages, including the $201.6 million aircraft, two CATM-9 air-intercept training missiles valued at $32,000 apiece, and $850,000 in environmental cleanup costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Air Force declined to say whether anyone was disciplined for the incident.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":65073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":67,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":{"2":{"categories":["your-military","news","left-column","home"],"primary_category":"your-military"}}},"categories":[101,23,24,88,16,26,67],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3392],"class_list":["post-33699","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-disaster","category-home","category-left-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-your-air-force"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"L2IWFPDR2NFCLKJZGDV3B5CAJQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/01\/20\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Human error, tech glitches and tape caused May 2020 F-22 crash - Air Force TImes<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Air Force declined to say whether anyone was disciplined for the incident.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Human error, tech glitches and tape caused May 2020 F-22 crash\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Air Force declined to say whether anyone was disciplined for the incident.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2022\/01\/20\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Air Force TImes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-01-20T19:22:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-07T21:00:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rachel S. Cohen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rachel S. Cohen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/news\\\/your-air-force\\\/2022\\\/01\\\/20\\\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/airforcetimes\\\/news\\\/your-air-force\\\/2022\\\/01\\\/20\\\/human-error-tech-glitches-and-tape-caused-may-2020-f-22-crash\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": 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