US Navy F‑35C Crashes in California: Pilot Ejects Safely, No Injuries Reported

A US Navy F‑35C Lightning II fighter jet crashed in central California near Naval Air Station Lemoore during a training mission

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The pilot successfully ejected and was reported safe. No other personnel were affected

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The crash occurred around 4:30–6:30 PM local time in a field near NAS Lemoore, approximately 40 miles southwest of Fresno

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The jet belonged to Strike Fighter Squadron VFA‑125, known as the “Rough Raiders,” which trains pilots for carrier‑based F‑35C operations

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This incident marks the second F‑35 crash in 2025—the earlier one involved an Air Force F‑35A in Alaska, where the pilot also survived

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This crash adds to growing scrutiny over the F‑35 program’s reliability and safety, especially with recent issues in other countries

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