SAN DIEGO, A US Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on Friday after the pilot successfully ejected moments before impact.
The Marine Corps confirmed that the pilot survived the incident and was transported to a nearby medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
“The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries,” the Marine Corps said in an updated statement.
Television aerial footage showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage in an open dirt field as military personnel and firefighters worked to contain the scene.
Fire crews responded to a vegetation fire sparked by the crash, while white fire-retardant foam was sprayed over the wreckage to extinguish remaining flames.
San Diego Fire Department spokesperson Candace Hadley confirmed firefighters were deployed to the area but referred further questions to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
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The Marine Corps classified the incident as a “Class A mishap,” the military’s highest accident category.
A Class A mishap is declared when:
- Damage exceeds $2 million,
- An aircraft is destroyed, or
- A service member is killed.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway.
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About the F-35B
The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft. It is designed for operations from amphibious assault ships and shorter runways.
According to a 2024 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report:
- The US Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force collectively operate more than 630 F-35 aircraft.
- The overall F-35 program was estimated to cost around $2 trillion over its lifetime.
- A single F-35B costs approximately $109 million.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is also historically known as the original home of the Navy’s Top Gun fighter pilot training program before it relocated to Nevada in 1996.
Authorities have not yet released additional details regarding the circumstances that led to the crash.
