---
title: "Marine Corps F-35B Has Crashed Near MCAS Beaufort In South Carolina"
description: "It is the first total-loss crash involving an F-35."
date: "2018-09-28"
modified: "2018-09-28"
authors:
  - name: "Tyler Rogoway"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/tyler-rogoway"
url: "https://www.twz.com/23912/marine-corps-f-35b-has-crashed-near-mcas-beaufort-in-south-carolina"
categories:
  - "Air"
  - "Americas"
  - "Around The Globe"
  - "F-35"
  - "Fighters"
  - "News & Features"
  - "Sea"
  - "Stealth"
  - "U.S. Homeland"
  - "U.S. Marine Corps"
tags:
  - "Crash"
  - "ejection"
  - "F-35"
  - "F-35B"
  - "MCAS Beaufort"
  - "Mishap"
---

# Marine Corps F-35B Has Crashed Near MCAS Beaufort In South Carolina

![](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-twz/content/2018/09/adadd1.jpg>)
*www.twz.com*

An F-35 has crashed near MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina. It is presumed to have been an F-35B belonging to the Marines as the type is stationed at the base. Some reports state the pilot ejected, but this has not been confirmed.

***UPDATE 10:47am PDT:*** The aircraft belonged to the resident F-35B training squadron VMFAT-501 and the pilot did safely eject and is being treated for any injuries. The crash happened around five miles from the airfield.

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1045716917535887360

https://twitter.com/\_/status/1045727848219254784

This is the first total loss crash event—and possibly the first ejection—involving an F-35 in the program's history, which [includes nearly 12 years of flying](<https://www.twz.com/6544/the-f-35-joint-strike-fighter-flew-for-the-first-time-10-years-ago-today>) (18 years if you count the JSF X-plane fly-off). Just a day ago, on September 27th, 2018 USMC F-35Bs flying off the *USS Essex* made the American Joint Strike Fighter's [combat debut over Afghanistan](<https://www.twz.com/23888/marine-f-35bs-fly-first-ever-strike-missions-against-fixed-targets-in-afghanistan>).

The news comes as the Department of Defense is enduring a *terrible* year for major aircraft mishaps, with a T-6 Trainer [crashing just last week.](<https://www.twz.com/23679/usaf-t-6a-training-plane-crashes-near-shopping-mall-in-san-antonio-texas>)

![message-editor%2F1538157251082-18852955683\_db2f2cbc4c\_b.jpg](<https://www.twz.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1538157251082-18852955683_db2f2cbc4c_b.jpg>)
*VMFAT-501 F-35B in the pattern over MCAS Beaufort. , *Lockheed Martin**

We will update this post as soon as more details become available.

*Contact the author: Tyler@thedrive.com*

## Author
Tyler’s passion is the study of military technology, strategy, as well as foreign policy, and he has fostered a dominant voice on those topics in the defense and national security space. Tyler was the creator of the hugely popular defense site *Foxtrot Alpha* before developing *TWZ*, which he continues to lead as the Editor-In-Chief to this day.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/Aviation_Intel>)