Modern fifth-generation US fighter jetAn F-35B Lightning II crashed and burned on Friday, July 31, near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) in San Diego, California.
The pilot, who was the sole occupant on board, was able to eject successfully before the collision. He was transported to a local hospital in stable condition, with no life-threatening injuries, CNN (cnn.com) reported. The incident occurred around 10:00 a.m. local time during a landing approach. Witnesses described the plane slowing sharply in an attempt to hover vertically, then losing altitude. It then hit the ground in a vacant field of land and burst into flames. The crash ignited a fire in the surrounding dry vegetation, which was quickly extinguished by the air base and San Diego City Fire Department, the report said. data-processed="true" data-sfc-cp="" data-sfc-root="ep" jsaction="" jscontroller="tP2kf#s32ZS" jsuid="ERosBb_t">The Guardian (theguardian.com).
The 3rd Marine Aviation Wing has officially classified the incident as “Class A mishap“ (Class A mishap) – the most severe category of military incidents in the United States, which applies to the complete destruction of an aircraft or damage exceeding $2 million. The cost of one F-35B fighter jet modification is approximately $109 million, reports agency Associated Press (apnews.com).
Version “B“ The technological fighter jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, features a specific short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) engine. US military authorities have already launched a formal investigation to determine the exact technical or operational reasons that led to the crash of the stealth fighter, the news site adds. Al Jazeera (aljazeera.com)