Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet crashes near San Diego runway, leaving pilot in stable condition
A Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jet crashed near the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Friday morning. The aircraft, described as one of the most advanced jet fighters in the world, went down short of the airfield just before 10 a.m. PT. The pilot ejected successfully before the jet hit the ground, and was subsequently transported to a local medical facility in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Local firefighters responded to the scene to manage a vegetation fire sparked by the impact, using foam and hoses to extinguish the flames. The Marine Corps designated the crash as a "Class A mishap," the most severe category for military aircraft accidents, indicating that the damages exceeded $2 million or the aircraft was destroyed. The F-35B is a key component of the military's fleet, with the program's total cost estimated at roughly $2 trillion. While the crash is a training flight, the military continues to investigate the cause of the mishap.