- An F-35B Lightning II aircraft from Marine Aircraft Group 11 went down short of the runway at Miramar on Friday morning
- The pilot ejected before the crash and was taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening
- The $102 million stealth jet burst into flames on impact, sparking a grass fire that ground crews rushed to contain
A United States Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter jet crashed and caught fire at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, on Friday morning, July 31, with the pilot managing to eject before the aircraft went down.
The single-seat jet, belonging to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, came down just short of the runway at around 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
Source: Getty Images
Thick plumes of smoke rose from the wreckage and could be seen from several kilometres away.
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing confirmed in a statement that the pilot ejected and was taken to a nearby medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, CNN reported.
Pilot ejects as jet goes down
Air traffic control audio captured by LiveATC.net recorded the Miramar tower alerting firefighters to the incident.
“F-35 short final crash,” the controller said, adding: “It appeared that the parachute did deploy … and a pilot ejected.”
Airport fire crews arrived at the scene and used firefighting foam to douse the burning wreckage. A grass fire that spread around the crash site also had to be brought under control before the area was secured, AP News reported.
The cause of the crash had not been established by the time initial reports were filed. Incidents involving military aircraft are typically handled by the armed forces rather than civilian agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board.
About the F-35B
The F-35B is described by its manufacturer as the most advanced jet fighter in the world. The stealth aircraft, which stretches over 15 metres in length, is built to land both conventionally and vertically, much like a helicopter. Each unit costs about $102 million, and the aircraft is operated by the US Marines, the United Kingdom, and the Italian Air Force.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar serves as a base for roughly 15,000 service members drawn from all branches of the US military.
Military aircraft crashes during operaton
Meanwhile, Legit.ngb previously reported that five members of the Indian Air Force lost their lives after a military transport aircraft crashed during a flight operation in the northeastern state of Assam.
The aircraft, an Antonov An-32, went down in the Jorhat area while carrying out what the Air Force described as a routine mission.
Source: Legit.ng