MAY DAY

Navy F-35 Jet Crashes in Dramatic Fireball in California

The pilot ejected safely from the downed craft and was taken to the hospital.

An F-35 fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Navy crashed in central California, the military confirmed in a statement. The pilot ejected from the craft safely and was taken to the hospital, but there was no word on any injuries. An investigation was launched to determine the cause of the crash. Thick, black smoke was seen billowing at the crash site, a spot of open farmland around 40 miles outside Fresno. Emergency crews, including local EMS and Cal Fire, responded to the scene to assist the pilot. The aircraft, valued at around $100 million, was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, the “Rough Raiders,” a Fleet Replacement Squadron responsible for training pilots stationed at the nearby Naval Air Station Lemoore. The F-35C is the carrier-capable variant of the advanced stealth fighter, one of three models used by the U.S. military. This marks the second F-35 crash this year, following an Air Force F-35A accident in Alaska in January, which also saw the pilot eject safely from the craft before impact.