Nellis-bound F-35 makes non-emergency landing in Texas

An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet destined for Nellis Air Force Base made an unexpected landing at the Lubbock, Texas, airport Monday after the pilot noticed a warning light in the cockpit, a Lockheed Martin spokesman said.

The F-35 Lightning II, which was flying to Nellis from the company’s production plant in Fort Worth, Texas, landed safely at 1:40 p.m. Monday with the other jet. The second F-35 then continued its flight to Nellis to join two others .

The jet that had the warning light remained at the Lubbock airport Tuesday while technicians tried to determine the problem, said Michael Rein, Lockheed’s spokesman for the F-35 program.

“They were flying out together, and one of our jets got a caution warning light. Following procedures, he went to the nearest airport and landed. It wasn’t like an emergency,” he said.

Nellis has planned an arrival ceremony for the F-35s, the first of 36 expected to be delivered for assignment at Nellis through 2020.