F-35 jet 'crashes' at original Top Gun base leaving aircraft in smoking wreck

By NATASHA ANDERSON, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 19:10, 31 July 2026 | Updated: 19:29, 31 July 2026 An F-35 fighter jet has crashed at the original Top Gun base in San Diego, California. The plane crashed near the Miramar Air Base around 10am Friday, ABC 7 reported. The pilot managed to eject from the jet and has been recovered, officials said. 'We can confirm a Class A mishap involving a Marine Corps F-35B in the vicinity of MCAS Miramar,' a base spokesperson told 10 News. 'The pilot ejected and has been recovered. More information will be made available shortly.'  The pilot's condition remains unknown. The Daily Mail has approached the Marine Corps and the military base for more information. Emergency responders remain on site as billows of black smoke are seen rising from the plane.  The cause of the crash is unclear at this time. The pilot was flying an F-35B Lightning ll jet, which is regarded as the world's most advanced and lethal fighter jet.  An F-35 fighter jet has crashed at the original Top Gun base in San Diego, California Emergency responders remain on site as billows of black smoke are seen rising from the plane The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin and is the cornerstone of US and Israeli air forces. The 'unkillable' F-35 has a top speed of Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph) and an internal weapons payload of up to 5,700lbs.  What makes this long-range fighter so deadly is its ability to avoid or confound enemy radar systems, letting it strike targets without being hit back. Radar systems work by sending out bursts of electromagnetic signals and listening carefully for how those waves bounce back - like a bat hunting by echolocation. To avoid detection, the F-35 is specially shaped so that radar signals deflect off its surface like light on a slanted mirror. The fighter also has the capacity to keep its weapons inside the body of the plane, safely protected by its radar-baffling panels. This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.  Military aircraft are parked at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar earlier this year