A state-of-the-art F-35B fighter jet has crashed at a Marine Corps base in California, catching fire upon impact on Friday (July 31) and sending plumes of smoke into the sky that could be seen from miles away.

According to CNN, the single-seat F-35B Lightning II fighter jet belonged to Marine Aircraft Group-11, part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The aircraft went down just before 10:00 a.m. local time, slightly short of the runway.

The pilot managed to eject safely following the accident. In a statement, the Marine Aircraft Wing reported that the pilot was transported to a local medical facility after ejecting, where they are listed in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.

Airport firefighters rushed to the crash site, spraying firefighting foam onto the wreckage to extinguish the flames and working to control a grass fire that had spread around the area.

Recorded audio from LiveATC.net captured an air traffic control tower official at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar directing firefighters: "The F-35 has crashed just short of the runway. It looks like the parachute deployed and one pilot has gotten out."

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Military aircraft accidents are typically investigated by the relevant military authorities, unlike civil aviation accidents, which are handled by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.

Described by its manufacturer as the "world's most advanced fighter jet," the F-35B is a stealth aircraft designed to be difficult to detect on radar.

It features short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities, allowing it to operate both like a conventional airplane and land vertically like a helicopter.

Measuring over 50 feet in length, the fighter jet is utilized by the U.S. Marine Corps as well as the air forces of the United Kingdom and Italy. According to manufacturer data, each F-35B carries a price tag of approximately $102 million.