SAN DIEGO — An F-35B fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on July 31, 2026. The U.S. Marine Corps classified the incident as a Class A mishap following the destruction of the aircraft.

The crash occurred around 10 a.m. Pacific Time on the base, which is located in San Diego and serves as the headquarters of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The aircraft involved in the incident was assigned to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Group 11. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is a U.S. Marine Corps base near San Diego, California, United States. San Diego is the seat of San Diego County, California, United States, and the second-largest city in California.

The pilot ejected from the aircraft before it crashed. The pilot was the only person on board the aircraft at the time of the incident. Following the ejection, the pilot was recovered and transported to a medical facility.

Marine Corps spokesperson Maj. Larry Boyd stated the pilot is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash prompted a fire in a field on the base. Emergency responders extinguished the fire using firefighting foam and water. Candace Hadley, a spokesperson for San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, confirmed firefighters responded to a vegetation fire near the crash site. Video footage showed the aircraft in at least two pieces during a scorched patch of earth.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. The F-35B is a short-takeoff and vertical-landing stealth fighter jet. The average flyaway price for an F-35B is approximately $109 million. A Class A mishap is defined as an incident where damage totals more than $2 million, an aircraft is destroyed, or a service member is killed.

The classification of the incident as a Class A mishap indicates significant financial loss or destruction of military assets. The definition includes scenarios where damage exceeds $2 million, which is substantially lower than the approximate $109 million average flyaway price of the F-35B. This event shows the operational risks associated with advanced stealth fighter jets within the United States Marine Corps, the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Why It Matters

The destruction of an F-35B, valued at approximately $109 million, constitutes a Class A mishap due to the total loss of the aircraft. This classification signifies a significant financial and operational setback for the Marine Corps, as the damage far exceeds the $2 million threshold. The incident shows the high costs associated with operating advanced stealth fighter jets when such assets are destroyed.