F-35B jet crashes near San Diego Marine base; pilot survives with minor injuries

An F-35B fighter jet crashed near a US Marine Corps base in San Diego on Friday morning, causing a small fire that was brought under control by emergency responders. The pilot, whose identity has not been released, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is reported to be in stable condition after receiving treatment at a local medical facility.

Local broadcaster Fox 5 San Diego captured footage showing grey smoke rising from the downed aircraft. The cause of the crash remains unknown. Officials have classified the incident as a “Class A mishap,” the most severe category, used when damage exceeds $2 million, an aircraft is destroyed, or a service member is killed. A single F-35B fighter costs approximately $109 million.

Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for San Diego Fire, said firefighters responded to a vegetation fire that broke out near the crash site. She referred additional questions to the Miramar base.

The F-35B is one of several variants of the advanced stealth fighter used by the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force. The “B” version features an engine designed for short takeoffs and vertical landings.

Last month, a Marine fighter jet crashed in Washington state, which federal authorities described as a “non-fatal aviation mishap,” according to the Yakima Herald-Republic. Crash investigations can reportedly take several months to complete.