Posted on 07/31/2025 12:28:14 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
A Navy pilot is safe after an F-35C fighter jet went down near Naval Air Station Lemoore in Southern California, causing a fiery crash and prompting a response from CAL Fire.
NAS Lemoore said "an aviation incident on the operations side of the installation" took place at around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The jet crashed in a field near the intersection of South Dickenson Avenue and West Cadillac Ave and burst into flames, a California Highway Patrol report stated. placeholder
"We can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel," NAS Lemoore confirmed via Facebook.
The crash caused a small grass fire spanning about ten acres, according to a CAL Fire incident report. It was completely contained by 8:32 p.m. local time.
Details surrounding what caused the crash were not immediately available.
NAS Lemoore is the Navy's largest Master Jet Base and is home to more than a dozen squadrons – training and operational. military fighter jet crash in california
The base said on Facebook that the F-35C involved in the crash was attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 "Rough Raiders," a specialized training unit.
NAS Lemoore is the only Navy base that houses the F-35 Lightning II, according to its website. It is also home to more than half of the branch's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. US Navy F-35C Lightning II fighter jet
The F-35 was associated with the VFA-125 "Rough Raiders" out of Naval Air Station Lemoore in Fresno County, California. (SONG KYUNG-SEOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Sixteen operational Strike Fighter squadrons, two Fleet Replacement squadrons, one Search and Rescue squadron, four west coast Carrier Air Wing Commands and staff operate out of the base.
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Lol. They better confirm it. The video is all over the net. Looks like a malfunction of the VTOL system.
It is not the VTOL variant.
“Looks like a malfunction of the VTOL system.”
Navy, not Marine.
Every plane has Vertical Landing capability, but not every plane has a Vertical Take-Off capability.
Lemoore is oh about 1 hr north of me, now I know where those f35 that fly over Bakersfield at 1500 feet are from, they do fly by of the airport.
You are referring to the 100% effective gravity assist system I assume.
“Every plane has Vertical Landing capability”
That would be a crash, not a landing.
All landings are a crash landing. Some are controlled, some not so.
“All landings are a crash landing. “
As a pilot, I never crashed.
That may be but it was hovering dramatically.
“All landings are a crash landing. Some are controlled, some not so.”
A controlled crash ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525
Not
Whoosh!
“Yes. That is the joke.”
You are joking, right?
Is video of that available? All I see online is the aftermath.
You’ve got a hole in your glove, TG. TB’s pitching ‘em but you keep missing ‘em.
“Every plane has Vertical Landing capability, but not every plane has a Vertical Take-Off capability.”
Took me a second, but that was funny.
That is not my post.
Was ejection really necessary? The plane was just spinning, seemingly out of control, but not that rapidly. And ejection always carries a high risk of partial or permanent paralysis.
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