Military jet crashes and burns at California Marine Corps base

By Aaron Cooper, CNN

(CNN) — A fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on Friday and erupted into flames, video from CNN affiliate KGTV shows.

Smoke from the crash could be seen billowing from miles away.

The aircraft involved was a F-35B Lightning II fighter jet, the Pentagon told KGTV.

The plane appeared to go down just short of the base’s runway, according to helicopter video. Airport fire crews sprayed the wreckage with firefighting foam and worked to extinguish a grass fire surrounding the crash site.

KGTV reported the pilot ejected and has been recovered.

Billed as “the most advanced jet fighter in the world” by its manufacturer, the F-35B can land like a conventional plane, or vertically similar to a helicopter. The more than 50 foot long jet is operated by the US Marines, the United Kingdom and the Italian Air Force. The planes cost about $102 million each, according to the manufacturer.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.

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