US Marine pilot safe after F-35B fighter jet crashes in California

A US Marine Corps pilot ejected safely before an F-35B stealth fighter crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on Friday, officials said.

The pilot was taken to a local hospital in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries, the Marine Corps said.

The aircraft crashed in an open field near the San Diego base, sending up a plume of black smoke and triggering a vegetation fire. Firefighters and military personnel responded to the scene.

Witness Wade Lott said two fighter jets were approaching the runway when one appeared to slow abruptly at low altitude before the pilot ejected moments before impact.

"The jet hit the ground and just blew up," he said.

The Marine Corps classified the incident as a "Class A mishap", the most serious category used when an aircraft is destroyed, damage exceeds USD 2 million or a service member is killed. An investigation is under way.

The F-35B, designed for short take-offs and vertical landings, is one of three variants of the F-35 stealth fighter. The US Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force operate more than 630 F-35 aircraft.

The crash is one of several military aviation accidents reported in the United States this year. Despite such incidents, the F-35 remains one of the US military's most advanced fighter aircraft, with fatal crashes involving the platform remaining rare.