Marine Corps says F-35B stealth fighter crashed in California, pilot ejected

The U.S. Marine Corps says an F-35B jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Friday afternoon, and the pilot was taken to a medical facility. In a statement, the Marines called the incident a “Class A mishap,” the most severe category, used when damage exceeds $2 million, when a military aircraft is destroyed, or when a service member dies. The statement did not provide details on the pilot’s condition beyond saying the pilot ejected and was recovered. Video from a news helicopter showed a plume of black smoke rising from the wreckage in a dirt field, alongside multiple military and firefighting vehicles. Firefighters responded to a vegetation fire that sparked near the crash site, according to San Diego Fire spokesperson Candace Hadley.