The $109 million stealth fighter crashed in California, with its pilot ejecting before impact
A US Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter crashed and caught fire at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, on Friday, apparently resulting in the total loss of the costly aircraft, according to footage from the scene.
Emergency crews responded at around 10am local time to what the military described as a “Class A mishap,” its category for the most serious accidents. The aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
“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 a follow-up statement, adding that the crash occurred on the base’s flightline.
JUST IN: An F-35 caught fire after a mishap at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Friday morning. Emergency crews responded to heavy smoke around 10 a.m. Cause under investigation.
Footage from the scene showed a thick column of black smoke rising above the base. Aerial video showed the burned-out jet lying in a scorched dirt field near the runway as military personnel and firefighters surrounded the wreckage.
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Initial reports indicate that a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II has crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, home of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, in San Diego, California. pic.twitter.com/qze3GLm8Og
— aircraftmaintenancengineer (@airmainengineer) July 31, 2026
The crash also sparked a vegetation fire, prompting a response from the San Diego Fire Department. White fire retardant could be seen covering parts of the ground around the aircraft. No injuries on the ground were immediately reported.
The military did not immediately disclose what caused the crash. The F-35B is the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing variant of the fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter and is operated primarily by the Marine Corps. Each aircraft costs approximately $109 million.
Miramar was formerly home to the US Navy fighter-pilot school depicted in the film Top Gun and was once known as “Fightertown USA.” The school moved to Nevada in 1996, when the base was transferred to the Marine Corps.
The latest incident occurred almost exactly one year after a US Navy F-35C crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore in central California on July 30, 2025. Its pilot also ejected safely before the jet struck a field and burst into flames.
