Plane crash involving a U.S. Navy F-35 in California results in pilot's emergency landing via ejection.
An F-35C stealth fighter jet, operated by the Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron 125 (“Rough Raiders”), crashed near Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in central California on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The pilot successfully ejected and was found safe, later taken to a hospital for evaluation and expected to be okay.
The incident occurred at around 6:30 p.m. local time near the base in Fresno County, where the wreckage was seen burning in a cotton field. Emergency responders quickly located the pilot with his parachute in a nearby field; no additional personnel were affected.
The cause of the crash—whether due to mechanical failure or pilot error—is currently under military investigation. The Navy and base officials have confirmed the crash and pilot safety but have not yet released information about the crash cause, stating that the investigation is ongoing.
The crashed jet was an F-35C, designed for use on US aircraft carriers. Video footage from CNN affiliate KFSN showed fire and thick black smoke at the crash site.
This is the second F-35 crash this year, with the previous one occurring at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska in January. The F-35 has faced increased scrutiny over maintenance and readiness issues, with a January 2025 report from the Defense Department's Director, Operational Test and Evaluation showing all variants of the F-35 fail to meet requirements for reliability, maintainability, and availability.
As of the provided data, the US Air Force has 246 F-35s, the Marines Corps has 122, and the Navy has 41. An online database from F-16.net shows 20 incidents involving the F-35 from 2014 to 2024.
The F-35 fighter jet is manufactured by Lockheed Martin, and more than 17 countries are part of the F-35 program, according to Lockheed Martin.
CNN's Martin Goillandeau contributed to this report. The article has been updated with additional information. Local EMS crew and Cal Fire responded to the crash scene.
[1] [https://www.npr.org/2025/07/30/129753734/navy-f-35c-crashes-near-naval-air-station-lemoore-california] [2] [https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2025/07/30/navy-f-35c-crashes-near-naval-air-station-lemoore-california/] [3] [https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/30/us/california-navy-f-35c-crash-intl/index.html] [4] [https://www.reuters.com/world/us/navy-pilot-ejects-safe-after-f-35c-crash-california-2025-07-30/]
- The F-35 crash near Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, on July 30, 2025, is not the first incident involving this aircraft, as there have been reports of 20 incidents related to the F-35 from 2014 to 2024.
- The aerospace industry is under scrutiny as maintenance and readiness issues continue to plague the F-35, with a January 2025 report from the Defense Department's Director, Operational Test and Evaluation showing all variants of the F-35 fail to meet requirements for reliability, maintainability, and availability.
- As the general-news media cover the ongoing military investigation into the cause of the F-35C crash, sports may provide a welcome distraction for many Americans, with several major events scheduled over the weekend.
