A U.S. military F-35 stealth fighter jet crashed Friday near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, forcing the pilot to eject before the aircraft struck the ground.
According to the U.S. Marine Corps, the pilot survived the crash and was transported to a nearby medical facility for evaluation and treatment.
“The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries,” the Marine Corps said in a statement cited by The Associated Press.
Video captured from multiple angles in the aftermath of the crash showed thick smoke rising from the wreckage, which came to rest in a dirt area within the boundaries of the military installation.
The footage also showed emergency vehicles, including fire trucks, along with military personnel responding to the scene as crews worked around the crash site.
A nearby concrete worker, Wade Lott, said he witnessed the accident while driving to work Friday morning.
Lott told The Associated Press that he saw two military aircraft descending toward the runway together before one of them crashed.
“It just blew up, it was crazy,” said Lott, 36.
According to Lott, the aircraft impacted the ground near another plane.
“The jet hit the ground right next to another plane,” he said. “It plowed into the runway and just blew up.”
The Marine Corps classified the incident as a “Class A mishap,” according to the report.
Within the military, a Class A mishap represents the highest level of severity assigned to aviation accidents. The classification applies when property damage exceeds $2 million or when a service member is killed.
Although the pilot survived and suffered what the Marine Corps described as non-life-threatening injuries, the crash still met the criteria for a Class A mishap.
The incident marks another military aviation accident recorded this year.
According to the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network database, seven other military air mishaps have occurred in the United States during 2026.
The report did not provide additional details regarding the cause of Friday’s crash, and no information was immediately released about what may have led to the aircraft going down near the San Diego-area base.
Officials also did not indicate whether the second aircraft observed by the witness was involved in the incident beyond being nearby as the crash occurred.
Emergency responders remained at the scene following the accident as military personnel secured the area around the wreckage.
The F-35B involved in the crash is part of the F-35 family of stealth fighter aircraft manufactured by American aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin.
The aircraft is widely used by the U.S. military, including the Marine Corps.
The crash remains under investigation, with authorities expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident as part of the military’s standard review process for aviation mishaps.
For now, officials have confirmed that the pilot safely ejected before impact and is receiving medical care after surviving the crash with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. The investigation is expected to determine what caused the aircraft to go down near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.