A US Marine Corps F-35B fighter jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, on Friday, renewing scrutiny of the aircraft’s safety record.
The pilot ejected and was safely recovered, according to military officials. Videos on social media showed thick smoke rising from the crash site as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.
The F-35, manufactured by US defense company Lockheed Martin, was developed under the Joint Strike Fighter program launched in 1995. Its first known crash occurred in 2018, three years before the aircraft entered full-rate production.
The following is a timeline of major accidents involving F-35 fighter jets since 2018:
March 31, 2026
A US Air Force F-35A crashed within the Nevada Test and Training Range north of Las Vegas.
The pilot ejected safely and was treated for minor injuries. No other injuries or effects on populated areas were reported.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
July 30, 2025
A US Navy F-35C crashed in a field near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California and burst into flames.
The pilot ejected safely, and no other personnel were injured. The crash also sparked a small grass fire.
The aircraft belonged to Strike Fighter Squadron 125, while the cause of the crash was not immediately known.
Jan. 28, 2025
A US Air Force F-35A crashed at Eielson Air Force Base in the state of Alaska after becoming uncontrollable while airborne.
The pilot safely ejected and sustained minor injuries, while the aircraft was destroyed.
An investigation found that water-contaminated hydraulic fluid froze in the landing gear system, causing the flight controls to switch to an “on ground” mode while the jet was still airborne.
May 29, 2024
A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II jet crashed near an airfield in Albuquerque, New Mexico, close to the southern state's main international airport.
The warplane crashed after departing from runway 21 in the vicinity of the airport, with the pilot ejecting from the aircraft. The pilot was subsequently hospitalized with serious injuries.
The crash brought into the spotlight the recurrent concerns about the safety of the jets.
Sept. 17, 2023
A US Marine Corps F-35 fighter jet crashed in the US state of South Carolina.
The accident occurred at the Marine Air Station Beaufort in the city of North Charleston.
After switching the jet to autopilot, the pilot managed to eject and survived.
Oct. 19, 2022
An F-35 fighter jet went down during its final approach maneuver to land at Hill Air Force Base in the state of Utah.
The pilot ejected and survived with minor injuries, while the jet was destroyed.
An accident investigation board determined that the aircraft lost control just before landing because of errors in the air data system.
Jan. 24, 2022
An F-35 fighter jet had an accident while landing on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in the South China Sea.
The pilot ejected safely, but the aircraft hit the edge of the ship's deck, slid along its entire length, and plunged into the sea.
Seven sailors sustained injuries in the accident, which the then-commander of the US 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, said was "the result of pilot error."
Jan. 4, 2022
A South Korean Air Force F-35A conducted an emergency landing at an airbase in South Chungcheong province.
The cause was a landing gear malfunction believed to be related to avionics.
During the landing at the Seosan Air Base, the aircraft also collided with a flying eagle.
The damage sustained by the aircraft was severe enough that it was deemed irreparable and written off.
Nov. 17, 2021
An F-35B aircraft of the British Royal Air Force plunged into the Mediterranean Sea during takeoff from the HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
The pilot ejected safely and was later rescued. The aircraft was also recovered from the seabed.
Sept. 29, 2020
An F-35 fighter jet of the US Marine Corps came into contact with an extended-range tanker during an air-to-air refueling operation.
The pilot successfully ejected while the aircraft crashed and was destroyed.
The tanker made a forced landing with its landing gear up in a carrot field near Thermal, an area in the US state of California.
May 19, 2020
An F-35 of the US Air Force crash-landed at the Eglin Air Force Base in the state of Florida.
The pilot safely ejected, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
The aircraft rolled, caught fire and was destroyed.
An investigation concluded that the cause was a combination of unchecked speed during the landing and a problem with the aircraft's flight control.
April 9, 2019
A Japanese Air Force F-35A crashed into the Pacific Ocean off northern Japan.
The plane went missing during a training exercise that involved three other F-35A jets.
The pilot died and his body was recovered months later.
Sept. 28, 2018
An F-35B fighter jet belonging to the US military crashed during a training flight.
The accident occurred in coastal South Carolina, with the pilot managing to eject safely.
The cause of the crash was determined to be a manufacturing defect that caused an engine fuel tube to burst during the flight.
