US Navy F-35 Fighter Jet Crashes in California; Pilot Ejects Safely
A US Navy F-35 fighter jet crashed Wednesday evening near Naval Air Station Lemoore in central California, but the pilot managed to eject safely, according to the Navy.
The incident happened around 6:30 p.m. in flat, open farmland roughly 40 miles southwest of Fresno. Video from local media showed flames and thick black smoke rising from the crash site. Emergency crews quickly arrived to assist the pilot, while Cal Fire units also responded, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said.
The aircraft was an F-35C, a carrier-based version of the advanced stealth fighter, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders.” This squadron trains new Navy pilots and aircrew to operate the F-35.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. The Navy confirmed no other injuries were reported.
Worth an estimated $100 million, the F-35C is one of three models of the F-35 Lightning II, used by the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. This marks the second F-35 crash in 2025; in January, an Air Force F-35A went down in Alaska during a training mission, with that pilot also ejecting safely.
Related Posts