On Wednesday evening near Naval Air Station Lemoore in California, an F-35C Lightning II fighter jet of the U.S. Navy crashed, but its pilot ejected safely without incident or harm to other personnel; according to officials.
A plane belonging to Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-125, also known as the “Rough Raiders,” crashed at roughly 6:30 p.m. local time near Fresno in California at 6:30 pm local time, according to a Navy news release and multiple media sources (YouTube, Reuters, KCRA News and Firstpost all reported this event).
Fire and thick black smoke were seen emanating from the crash site amidst surrounding farmland, while a small grass fire quickly scorched over 10 acres before responders could bring it under control, according to Firstpost and CBS News sources (KION546).
The Navy confirmed that the pilot successfully ejected and is safe, with no additional affected personnel present at the crash scene. @mathrubhumi has reported on this development to Reuters +11, ABC News +11.
U.S. defense contractor representatives have not commented as the cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to YouTube, Reuters and The Economic Times (ET).
F-35C variant, this jet is carrier-capable and part of a global fleet comprising three variants utilized by U.S. and allied air forces globally, including Firstpost readers Matt Rubhumi (@mathrubhumi) and KION546 (+12).
VFA-125 serves as a fleet replacement squadron, training pilots and aircrew to operate F-35s – making this incident especially significant in training operations for this aircraft, according to ABC News and Firstpost (plus KION546).
This crash follows several F-35 incidents over recent years that have raised serious concerns over its safety and reliability, including one at Eielson AFB in Alaska in 2025, where an F-35A crashed during a training exercise before ejecting safely without incident (The Times of India +3 KION546 +3 Firstpost +3).
Critics have pointed to maintenance issues and readiness challenges as primary concerns related to maintaining high-tech aircraft systems and upkeep.
Eyewitness videos showed the chaotic aftermath near Lemoore, as emergency crews responded swiftly to assist the pilot and put out the fire. Eyewitness videos captured it all: emergency workers arriving rapidly to assist him and extinguish it all (KION546 for Firstpost; CBS News/KCRA for CBS Radio News/The Times of India etc…).
Cal Fire data indicated that the grass fire was contained to approximately 10 acres of farmland, without any civilian casualties or structural damages being reported, according to CBS News and YouTube (+1 for both).
In a statement issued by NAS Lemoore, they reiterated their commitment to safety and transparency: “We are cooperating fully with investigating authorities to identify the root cause of this incident,” noted one spokesperson at NAS Lemoore. No details regarding operational matters have yet been made public.
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II remains an indispensable pillar of U.S. and partner nation airpower, boasting stealth technology, advanced avionics, multirole capabilities across combat, strike, surveillance missions and potential multirole potential across combat, strike, surveillance missions. However, recent incidents such as its crash near Lemoore have raised serious concerns regarding whether its program goals are being achieved with regard to reliability and safety.
As investigators comb through flight data, maintenance records and environmental conditions to establish what happened, their focus will likely turn towards possible mechanical failure, pilot error or system malfunction as possible causes for this crash. Experts warn that such mishaps could potentially impact future decisions concerning fleet readiness, training protocols and budgetary allocations.
Key Facts of This Issue are as follows. On July 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM local time.
Where: Field near Naval Air Station Lemoore (NAS Lemoore), 40 miles southwest of Fresno
Aircraft Types: F-35C Lightning II and VFA-125 “Rough Raiders”
Outcome: Pilot safely ejected from his plane; no injuries reported.
Next Steps: Naval personnel and investigators are investigating what caused the crash.
Overall, while no harm came to anyone involved, the crash highlights ongoing safety concerns about the F-35 program as training continues at NAS Lemoore and across its broader fighter jet fleet.