F-35 Fighter Jet Crashes at Marine Corps Air Base in California

An F-35B Lightning II fighter jet assigned to the Marine Aircraft Group 11 crashed in California.

This was reported in a statement by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, according to CNN.

The incident occurred on July 31 at approximately 7:42 a.m. Kyiv time. The aircraft failed to reach the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The pilot ejected and was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition.

U.S. Marine Corps Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II fighter jet crashed at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, on Friday.

The plane burned down almost completely after impacting the ground. The Marine Corps confirmed that the pilot has ejected, but… pic.twitter.com/qK8ACGPK3f

— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) July 31, 2026

According to radio traffic logs from LiveATC.net, the control tower notified firefighters of the crash during the final approach and the pilot’s parachute deployment.

As a reminder, the most recent U.S. Air Force F-35 crash occurred in March at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR).

The pilot managed to eject successfully and sustained minor injuries. Medical personnel provided him with the necessary assistance.