A misplaced flashlight caused $3.9 million in damage to a Lockheed Martin F-35A’s powerplant during a routine engine run.
The incident occurred on the night of 15 March 2023 at Luke AFB in Arizona, says a US Air Force investigation.
A maintenance team was tasked with conducting routine tests with the F-35A (14-5103), which included a run of the aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney F135 engine.
The board found that non-compliance with checklist procedures resulted in the flashlight being left in an engine inlet.
While the engine run was completed as normal, as it decelerated a noise was heard. An inspection observed “significant damage” to the engine. The damage was such that it could not be repaired locally at Luke AFB.
While the engine was badly damaged, there were no injuries to personnel.
A USAF investigation “found by a preponderance of evidence that a handheld flashlight caused the damage to the aircraft”.
Non-adherence to checklist procedure was a key factor in the accident, particularly around making an inventory of tools after performing each task. In this case, two maintainers believed the flashlight had been accounted for, when it in fact it had not.
“The board president found that F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System checklist complacency and a disconnect between Department of the Air Force Instruction 21-101 tool inventory guidance and unofficial local procedures were contributing factors to the mishap,” says the investigation report.
