- F-35 aircraft mishap caused a fire at MCAS Miramar.
- The pilot ejected from the crashed F-35B jet in California.
- The pilot is in stable condition after the ejection.
A pilot is recovering in stable condition after ejecting from an F-35B jet that crashed at MCAS Miramar, California. The incident occurred when the jet was approximately 100 feet above the ground, prompting the pilot to eject just in time, rising about 200 feet into the air.12
Witnesses described the crash as chaotic, with one observer stating, “It just blew up, it was crazy,” as the jet plowed into the runway and exploded. Aerial footage showed a plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage, which lay in a dirt field.
The crash has been classified as a “Class A mishap,” indicating severe damage exceeding $2 million. The F-35 program, which includes plans to purchase over 1,800 jets, is projected to cost around $2 trillion over its operational lifetime. This incident marks one of at least 17 other Class A mishaps involving F-35 aircraft since 2000, according to Air Force Safety Center statistics.
Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire sparked near the crash site, with multiple military and firefighting vehicles on the scene. The F-35B, valued at approximately $109 million, is part of a fleet that has seen several mishaps this year, with at least seven other military aircraft incidents reported in the U.S.
In previous F-35 crashes, pilots have successfully ejected, although some sustained injuries, highlighting the risks associated with operating these advanced military jets.
“In five F-35 crashes, the pilots were able to eject, though at least one sustained injuries. That pilot was injured when an F-35 crashed near Albuquerque, New Mexico, in May 2024, while the jet was heading from Texas to an Air Force base in California.”
The Independent
