US Military F-35 Crashes In California After Mid-Air Refueling Accident

A U.S. Marine F-35B combat aircraft crashed Tuesday in California, after making contact with a Marine KC-130 tanker during an aerial refueling, according to a Marine Corps statement.

The crash occurred at around 4 p.m. EDT near Naval Air Facility El Centro in Imperial County. The F-35 pilot ejected safely and the KC-130 crash landed near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal in Riverside County, California, according to USNI News.

The KC-130J was carrying eight personnel and all were safely recovered, according to KESQ. News reports showed the tanker sitting on a field.

"At approximately 1600 (4 p.m. Pacific time) it was reported that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B," a statement from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Yuma, Arizona, read. "The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated."

"The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe," the statement added.

The crash didn’t cause a fire, but a fuel leak was suspected in the area near 59^th Avenue between Fillmore and Polk streets, east of Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport, The Press-Enterprise reported, citing California Highway Patrol data. Authorities closed 59^th Avenue following the crash.

Both the planes were stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, KVIA-TV reported, citing a defense official. The incident is under investigation.

The F-35, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, can perform in both air superiority and attack roles. The F-35B variants are short takeoff aircrafts designed to operate from austere bases and a range of air-capable ships near front-line combat zones, while also being capable of vertical landing to expeditionary airfields. The plane will form the backbone of the U.S. and allied forces in the years to come. The per-unit price for the aircraft, the most expensive fighter ever, varies, with the F-35A from the latest lot costing $77.9 million and the F-35Bs costing $94.4 million.

The latest crash follows a similar F-35 crash that occurred in Florida on May 20. That F-35A, assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, crashed upon landing at the Eglin Air Force Base. A Japanese F-35A crashed off the coast of Japan last year.