A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II crashed Friday morning near the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego, California, prompting a large emergency response and igniting a brush fire on the installation.

According to the U.S. Marine Corps, the aircraft was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the incident has been classified as a Class A aviation mishap—the military’s highest accident classification, typically involving the loss of an aircraft, a fatality, permanent disability, or damages exceeding a specified threshold.

Officials confirmed the pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft and was safely recovered. As of Friday afternoon, there have been no reports of civilian injuries or fatalities.

Video from local news helicopters showed the aircraft broken into multiple sections while firefighters worked to extinguish flames and contain a brush fire that spread into the surrounding area.

At this time, military officials have not released information regarding:

• What caused the crash.

• Whether the aircraft was arriving or departing.

• Whether the flight was a routine training mission.

• The extent of damage beyond the aircraft itself.

An official aviation mishap investigation has been launched, which is standard procedure for all Class A military aviation accidents. Investigators will examine maintenance records, weather conditions, flight data, and pilot information before determining the cause.

The F-35B Lightning II is the Marine Corps’ short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of the fifth-generation stealth fighter, designed to operate from amphibious assault ships and expeditionary airfields while providing advanced strike and air superiority capabilities.

Additional details are expected to be released by the Marine Corps as the investigation progresses.

Editorial Note:

IRC Media will continue to monitor this developing story. As with all aviation accidents, early reports are often incomplete, and we will update this article as additional verified information becomes available.