Navy Pilot Safe After F-35C Crash in California
Navy pilots are safe following an incident involving F-35C fighter jets that resulted in a crash near the Naval Aviation Administration at Lemoore, Southern California. The crash prompted a response from Cal Fire.
The incident occurred on Wednesday around 6:30 PM, according to reports from NAS Lemoore. The jet crashed into a field at the intersection of South Dickenson Avenue and West Cadillac Avenue, leading to an explosion that ignited flames, as reported by the California Highway Patrol.
“We can confirm that the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There were no other personnel impacted,” NAS Lemoore stated on Facebook.
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Reportedly, the crash caused a small grass fire extending approximately 10 acres, which was contained by 8:32 PM local time. Details regarding the cause of the crash have yet to be released.
NAS Lemoore serves as the Navy’s largest master jet base, hosting more than 12 squadrons engaged in training and operations.
The F-35C involved in the incident belongs to the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 “Rough Raiders,” according to the base’s social media updates.
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NAS Lemoore is the only naval base that houses the F-35 Lightning II, and it accommodates over half of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The base also supports a range of operational strike fighters and multiple squadrons.
As of now, attempts to contact NAS Lemoore for further details did not yield any response by the time of this report.
