Another heart-stopping moment in military aviation unfolded Wednesday evening when a U.S. Navy F-35C jet went down near NAS Lemoore, California.
Eyewitnesses saw the fighter jet plummet into a field and erupt in flames around 6:30 p.m. – a sight as terrifying as it was surreal.
Thankfully, the pilot – part of the Navy’s elite “Rough Raiders” squadron – managed to eject safely. That’s the kind of training and quick thinking that turns potential tragedy into a story of survival.
Fire crews from CAL Fire rushed in to tackle the blaze, which spread across ten acres of grassland. By 8:32 p.m., the flames were completely contained. No injuries were reported, and the base confirmed there were no other personnel affected.
NAS Lemoore, tucked in Fresno County, is no ordinary facility – it’s the Navy’s largest Master Jet Base and home to cutting-edge aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II and the F/A-18 Super Hornets.
The squadron involved, VFA-125 “Rough Raiders,” specializes in training pilots for high-stakes carrier operations.
While the cause of the crash hasn’t been released yet, this incident shines a spotlight on the risks these pilots take every day in service of readiness and national defense.
