I can't reveal my sources for obvious reasons but what actually happened is this.
The pilot has an anonymous YouTube channel called Flying Furry Fighters in which he posts videos of himself flying fighter jets in his furry fox suit.
Obviously he needs to keep this secret so he hides the fur suit in his go bag.
Once in the air, he puts the jet in autopilot, changes into the fur suit and then records content for his YT channel, before getting changed again.
Unfortunately, this time, just as he finished changing and getting strapped in, his tail caught on the ejector handle and that was it!
Footage taken using a phone of a large fox parachuting into a wooded area has confirmed this.