An F-35C Lightning II fighter jet lost a panel shortly after taking off from Tinker Air Force Base on Wednesday, prompting an investigation.
Photos captured by a local aviation photographer—who happened to be at the right place at the right time—show the moment the panel detached from the jet. The images were later shared with KOCO 5 News.
The panel separated cleanly and moved away from the jet. This is likely a sensitive situation for both the U.S. Marine Corps and Lockheed Martin, given the F-35’s high-profile status.
The aircraft continued its flight and landed safely at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, with no injuries reported.
Officials at Tinker Air Force Base confirmed the incident in a statement:
“We can confirm that a small panel of an F-35C Lightning II departed the aircraft shortly after takeoff. We are happy to report that the aircraft made it to Nellis Air Force Base and landed without incident.”
The cause of the panel separation remains under investigation.
