--- title: "Marine Corps F-35B crashes on runway of California base, pilot safe" description: "Local media reported that smoke was seen rising near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California." date: "2026-07-31" modified: "2026-07-31" authors: - name: "Jeff Schogol" job_title: "Senior Pentagon Reporter" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/jeff-schogol.md" - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton.md" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/marine-corps-f-35-mishap-miramar/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Marine Corps" - "Military Branches" - "News" - "Tech & Tactics" tags: - "adsafety" - "mishap" --- # Marine Corps F-35B crashes on runway of California base, pilot safe ![U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 214, Marine Aircraft Group 13, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing taxi the flight line after arriving at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 8, 2025. VMFA-214, an F-35B squadron from MCAS Yuma, Arizona, deployed to augment MAG-12, 1st MAW under the Unit Deployment Program, which provides U.S.-based units with operational experience in the Indo-Pacific. Their arrival marked the start of the Marine Corps’ transition from the F/A-18 Hornet to the F-35 for rotational deployments to the region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Samantha Rodriguez)]() *Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II jets with 3rd Marine Aircraft wing on the flightline at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in March 2025. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Samantha Rodriguez.* A F-35B fighter jet was involved in the military’s most severe type of aviation mishap near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Southern California on Friday morning, according to the Marine Corps. "We can confirm a Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of \[Marine Corps Air Station\] Miramar,” the Marine Corps said in a statement. “The pilot ejected and has been recovered. More information will be available as the situation develops." The incident happened at approximately 10 a.m. Pacific Time. The F-35B, assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, had an unspecified mishap on the flightline of the base. A witness told the Associated Press that [the plane crashed while landing at the base](). The Marine Corps added that the pilot is in stable condition and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local medical facility. [Local media]() in San Diego [reported]() smoke rising near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, with aerial footage purportedly showing the plane on a burnt field just outside the base. According to the military, a Class A mishap involves either a loss of life or damage to equipment greater than $2.5 million. The mishap is the latest in a series of stateside aviation incidents in recent months. In May, two Navy E/A-18G Growlers [collided during an airshow]() in Idaho; all four crew members safely ejected. In June, a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet from Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing [crashed]() near Mount Rainier in Washington state. On June 15, an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California, killing [all eight people]() on board. *This is a developing story.* ***Update: 7/31/2026;** This article was updated with a new statement from the Marine Corps, which identified the unit the aircraft is assigned to.* ## Author Jeff Schogol is the former senior Pentagon reporter for Task & Purpose. He reported on both the Department of Defense as a whole and individual services, covering a variety of topics that include personnel, policy, military justice, deployments, and technology. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() [Twitter]()