The United State Marines released to the public an investigation report, which the Marine Corps released , finding Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo’s, 49 F-35B malfunctioned and its primary displays and communications cut out as Del Pizzo was attempting to land through rain at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. However, the report said its standby flight display and backup communication system “remained basically functional.”
The report confirms Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo’s ejected from a malfunctioning F-35B in heavy rain over South Carolina last year. The plane kept flying on autopilot for 64 nautical miles before crashing. Col. Pizzo was fired from his command of a prestigious squadron as a result of the mishap
Col. Pizzo confirmed to Marine Corps Times he was the pilot who ejected from the F-35B over Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept. 17, 2023, and parachuted into a resident’s backyard. And in a written statement, Del Pizzo said Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith ordered him to be fired from command of Marine Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 after reviewing the report on the crash investigation.