Marine Corps says F-35B stealth fighter crashed in California, pilot ejected
Jul 31, 2026, 2:13 PM
This image made from a video provided by KGTV shows the scene of an F-35 jet crash Friday, July 31, 2026, near the Miramar Air Base in San Diego. (KGTV via AP)
(KGTV via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Marine Corps says the pilot of an F-35B stealth fighter is expected to live after ejecting from the jet before it crashed in California.
The jet went down Friday near the Miramar air base in San Diego. A Marines statement called it a “Class A mishap.” A single F-35B fighter jet costs about $109 million.
“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.
Aerial video from a news helicopter showed a plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage in a dirt field, with multiple military and firefighting vehicles and people standing nearby. What appeared to be white flame retardant covered the ground, and at least one person was spraying the wreckage with a fire hose.
Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for San Diego Fire, said firefighters were on scene to respond to a vegetation fire that sparked near the crash site. She referred additional questions to Miramar.
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B STOVL demonstrates a flyover above the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial on July 3, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. (Alex Wong, Getty Images)
The F-35B is one of several versions of the advanced stealth fighter jet that is flown by the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. The “B” version has an engine that is designed for short takeoffs and is capable of vertical landings.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar used to host the Navy fighter pilot training school depicted in the original “Top Gun” movie, and was known as “Fightertown USA” in its heyday. The school was relocated to Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada in 1996 after the base was transferred to the Marine Corps.
Other reading: B-52 on test flight plunged at nearly a mile a minute before crashing, killing 8
