The U.S. Marine Corps says the pilot of an F-35B stealth fighter ejected before the jet crashed in California, and was taken to a medical facility.
The jet went down Friday near the Miramar air base in San Diego. A Marines statement called it a “Class A mishap.” That's the most severe mishap category, used when the damage totals more than $2 million, an aircraft is destroyed or a service member killed.
A single F-35B fighter jet costs about $109 million. The statement did not include any details about the condition of the pilot, other than to say they ejected, were recovered and were being taken to a medical facility.
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.
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.
