A US Marine Corps F-35B assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing suffered a "mishap" at MCAS Miramar in San Diego earlier today, according to Fox News.
Viral videos have circulated on X showing the $100 million fifth-generation fighter jet in flames.
BREAKING: Emergency crews are responding to an aircraft mishap appearing to involve an F-35 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after the incident was reported earlier this morning.+
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 31, 2026
Authorities have not released details about what happened, and it remains unclear… pic.twitter.com/PqTBisE7Jo
Here's more from the report:
Emergency personnel responded to what the Marine Corps described as an "aircraft mishap" on the flight line at about 10 a.m. local time involving an F-35 assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, said 1st Lt. Blake Starbuck. The aircraft was based at MCAS Miramar.
The incident was a "Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of MCAS Miramar," the U.S. Marines told Fox News. The pilot ejected and was recovered.
At least 14 F-35s have crashed or been written off in major accidents since 2018, including today's Miramar crash. Only one F-35 crash has killed a pilot, involving a Japanese F-35A in 2019.
