F-35B stealth fighter jet crashes near San Diego’s Miramar air base; pilot ejects safely

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego on Friday morning, forcing the pilot to eject before impact. The aircraft, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 under the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, went down at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time on the flightline at Miramar, according to the Marine Corps. Emergency responders rushed to the scene after the crash, with aerial footage showing firefighters spraying fire retardant on the burning wreckage while thick black smoke rose above the base. No injuries have been reported on the ground. The pilot was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, the Marine Corps said. Officials have not disclosed what caused the crash. Official details emerge The Marine Corps classified the incident as a “Class A mishap,” the military’s highest accident category, which includes the destruction of an aircraft, a fatality, permanent disability or damage exceeding $2 million. In a statement, the service said: “Emergency personnel responded this morning to an aircraft mishap on the flightline of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time today, involving an F-35B assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.” Emergency personnel responded to an F-35B aircraft mishap on MCAS Miramar at 10:00 am PST. The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.— U.S. Marines (@USMC) July 31, 2026 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, located about 10 miles north of downtown San Diego, serves as the headquarters of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and is home to more than 15,000 Marines, sailors and civilian personnel. The Marine Corps added: “More information will be released when available.” Recent crashes continue The F-35B is the Marine Corps’ short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II, allowing it to operate from short runways and amphibious assault ships. Together with the Air Force’s F-35A and the Navy’s carrier-based F-35C, it forms the backbone of the U.S. military’s stealth fighter fleet. The F-35 remains central to the U.S. military’s long-term air power strategy despite recent accidents and readiness concerns. While the Pentagon’s fiscal 2026 budget reduces planned F-35 procurement to 47 aircraft from 74 the previous year, the jet continues to anchor the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps’ tactical aviation fleets. The funding shift is intended to prioritize Block 4 modernization, spare parts and sustainment while maintaining minimum production rates for the stealth fighter. Friday’s accident is the latest in a series of F-35 crashes. In April, an Air Force F-35 assigned to Nellis Air Force Base went down in the Nevada Test and Training Range after the pilot ejected safely. Earlier, another F-35 crashed during a training mission at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January 2025, while a separate aircraft went down in California’s Fresno County in July 2025. The pilots survived both incidents. One of the program’s most high-profile incidents occurred in 2023 when a Marine Corps F-35B continued flying for more than 11 minutes after its pilot ejected over South Carolina before crashing about 70 miles away. Investigators later concluded the pilot had ejected improperly following multiple technical malfunctions. The cause of Friday’s crash remains under investigation.