F-35 fighter jet crashes at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar; pilot ejects safely

Gary Robbins and Madeleine Kashkooli, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Jul 31, 2026

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SAN DIEGO — An F-35B fighter aircraft crashed Friday morning in the flightline area of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, a base spokesperson said.

“The pilot ejected, (and) was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life threatening injuries,” the base added in a statement.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m., not far from the base’s main hangars, west of Kearny Villa Road.

Emergency crews could be seen dousing the high-performance jet more than an hour after the crash, and they had to deal with a small fire that started behind the aircraft. The jet was part of Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

The cause of the accident is under investigation.

MCAS Miramar is one of the largest F-35B bases in the country. The jets, which cost more than $130 million to build, are widely used by aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.

Accidents involving Miramar aircraft are not uncommon. One of the most serious incidents happened in 2023 when a pilot was killed during a routine training flight. In 2018, four Marines were killed in a helicopter crash in Imperial County during a training mission.

Four people in a home were killed in 2008 when a Miramar jet crashed in the University City neighborhood west of the base. The accident also destroyed two homes. The pilot ejected and survived.

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(Staff photojournalist Luke Johnson contributed to this report.)

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