28th person to fly the F-35 was killed in mysterious crash

The U.S. Air Force revealed on Sept. 8 that one of its pilot was killed in a crash on Sept. 5 while flying over the Nevada Test and Training Range.

AF-1 Flt; Capt Eric "DOC" Schultz; First F-35 Flight; Pre-flt & Hosedown; F-35 ITF Edwards AFB; Ca.; 15 September 2011 — AF-1 Flt; Capt Eric “DOC” Schultz; First F-35 Flight; Pre-flt & Hosedown; F-35 ITF Edwards AFB; Ca.; 15 September 2011

The pilot was identified as Lt. Col. Eric Schultz, who is the 28th person to fly an F-35.

It was unusual for the service to withhold the type of aircraft involved in the crash, only saying the aircraft was assigned to Air Force Materiel Command.