Maybe the pilot was preparing to do something nefarious and they ejected him before he could do it? Then they flew the plane to an unpopulated area to crash?
Has anyone ever ejected accidentally?
Sounds like this one did. It takes a positive action by the pilot to punch out. In two-seaters there is a delay between ejections. Without a maintenance failure, both crew are ejected. In the olden days, you had to reach up with both hands and pull a face curtain (protects against wind blast) or an upward motion between your legs. 40-60 lbs of force to initiate.
From OPNAV 3710.U (was E when I got out 20 years ago)
AEROMEDICAL ASPECTS OF EJECTION
9. Ejection decision
a. Out of control flight eject by 6K AGL
b. Controlled flight eject no lower than 2K AGL
So even the ejection itself is suspect. Or the pilot didn't know he was violating OPNAV and will therefore get boned by the Mishap Board.
ejected accidentally? No one here seems to know how many ways one can get shot out of an F35. But every plane I know anything about requires an overt, intentional, and pretty firm jerk on a ring, lever, knob, handle, etc. And the jerk ring is always located so that one has to go out of the way to reach it. Not something you would grab accidentally in normal flight operations. Some planes require a first, separate, step to blow the canopy to get it out of the way.