United States Marine Corps F-35B/C Crash

An F-35B Lightning II assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, crashed shortly before 10:00 local time on 31 July 2026 while approaching Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, north of San Diego. Air traffic control audio indicated the aircraft came down short of the runway on landing. The pilot ejected and was taken to a local medical facility in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries. Footage showed the airframe broken into two main sections and burning on the flightline. The Marine Corps classified the loss as a Class A mishap, its most severe category, and opened an investigation. The cause was not immediately determined.