US Navy F-35 Fighter Jet Crashes Near Naval Air Station Lemoore, California

Last Updated:July 31, 2025, 10:09 IST

A US Navy fighter jet crashed near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, the pilot ejected safely. The cause of the crash was under investigation.

Jet crashes in California (Photo: Social Media)

A jet crashed in the fields near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California on Thursday. Videos widely shared on social media showed smoke billowing from what appeared to be a crashed aircraft in a field.

According to Russian Television, the crashed aircraft could be an F-35 fighter jet. 

CNN quoted a Navy press statement as confirming that the crashed aircraft was a US Navy F-35 fighter jet. 

Emergency crews reached the spot as soon as the incident was reported.

According to CNN, the pilot ejected safely.

The cause of the crash, which occurred around 6.30 pm (local time), was under investigation, the report quoted an official statement.

The aircraft was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron VF-125, known as the “Rough Raiders," CNN quoted the Navy as saying.

VF-125 is a Fleet Replacement Squadron, responsible for training pilots and aircrew.

Naval Air Station Lemoore is located around 40 miles (64 kilometres) southwest of the city of Fresno in central California.

On July 28, a twin-engine Beech 95-B55 Baron with three people aboard went down about 275 metres off Point Pinos.

The plane had taken off from the San Carlos airport at 10.11 pm and was last seen at 10.37 pm near Monterey, according to flight tracking data from FlightAware.com.

Searchers in a boat found one person around 3 am.

Divers found the remaining two people inside the aircraft between 6.30 am and 9.15 am. All three were unresponsive, the Coast Guard said.

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