A US Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter has been destroyed after crashing near the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. The pilot ejected before impact, was recovered by emergency personnel and transported to a medical facility, although officials have not disclosed the pilot’s condition. Aerial footage showed the aircraft separated into two large sections inside a scorched area roughly the size of a football field. The crash also ignited a brush fire and sent thick black smoke above the base. The Marine Corps classified the incident as a “Class A mishap,” its most serious accident category. The F-35B is designed for short takeoffs and vertical landings from amphibious ships and austere bases. Investigators have not yet determined what caused the multimillion-dollar aircraft to fall from the sky. Watch.