First hull loss of an F-35: an F-35B crashes near Beaufort

An F-35B of training squadron VMFAT-501 crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. The pilot ejected successfully and there were no injuries, but the aircraft was destroyed: it was the first hull loss in the programme's history, a day after the type's combat debut in Afghanistan. The failure was traced to a faulty fuel tube, prompting an inspection of the entire worldwide fleet.