Overview
- The mishap occurred on Friday morning, when a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11 went down near the flight line at MCAS Miramar and the pilot ejected and was recovered.
- The pilot was taken to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries, according to Marine Corps statements.
- Aerial footage and eyewitness video showed a charred, football-field-sized impact area with the jet broken into sections and a vegetation fire that military firefighters and San Diego Fire-Rescue helped contain.
- Officials have not released a cause and the Marine Corps has opened a formal investigation consistent with a Class A mishap, which applies when an aircraft is destroyed or damage exceeds statutory thresholds.
- The F-35B is the short‑takeoff/vertical‑landing variant of the fifth‑generation F-35 family, each airframe costs roughly over $100 million, and the loss raises operational and safety questions that investigators are likely to examine next.