An F-35B fighter assigned to U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 (VMFAT-501) has crashed north of North Charleston. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely but the
U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Zachary Ybarra, F-35B Lightning II pilot, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), performs aerial maneuvers during an airshow demonstration practice at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Aug. 21, 2023. VMFAT-501 and VMFAT-502, MAG 11, 3rd MAW, are the two components that make up the USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team, that perform across the country to demonstrate the capabilities of the fifth generation fighter and interact with the public. Ybarra is a Rancho Cucamonga, California native. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)
The mishap aircraft was part of a two-ship flight that took off from MCAS Beaufort. The second F-35B landed safely at Joint Base Charleston.
Officials are now trying to find the F-35B that went down and search efforts are focused on Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion. Two lakes north of North Charleston, military officials said.
