Pilot safe after US Navy F-35 crashes in Fresno County, officials say
.jpg "A US Navy F-35C fighter jet crashed Wednesday night in Fresno County. The pilot was not injured.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- F-35C fighter jet crashed near Cadillac and Dickinson in Fresno County
- Pilot safely ejected from jet; EMS and local agencies responded on scene
- NAS Lemoore confirmed incident; federal authorities will investigate crash
A US Navy F-35C fighter jet crashed Wednesday night in Fresno County, officials said.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office received a call at 6:30 p.m. that a jet crashed into a cotton field and located the wreckage near Dickenson and Cadillac Avenues, just north of Naval Air Station Lemoore.
First responders searched for the pilot and found him with a parachute in a nearby field, deputies said.
In a statement, NAS Lemoore said an F-35C attached to the VFA-125 “Rough Riders” went down and the pilot successfully ejected and was safe.
A helicopter took the pilot to a local hospital for evaluation. He is expected to be OK.
During the night, firefighters used a bulldozer to cut a path to the jet so fire engines could get close enough to extinguish the fire, deputies said.
The cause of crash is under investigation by the military.
The California Highway Patrol set up road closures at Oakland, Jameson and Jeffrey.
This story was originally published July 30, 2025 at 9:20 PM.
