Fighter jet crashes and sparks fire after ‘mishap' at San Diego Marine base

Footage from SkyRanger 7 showed a plane in two pieces amid a football-field-sized patch of scorched earth.

A fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego Friday morning, sparking a small fire on the military base.

The F-35B assigned to 3rd Marine Aircraft Group 11 went down around 10 a.m. in what Marine Corps spokesperson Capt. Steven Keenan called a "Class A mishap."

The pilot, the only person aboard, ejected from the plane and was recovered, Keenan said. It was not clear if the individual was injured.

Footage from NBC San Diego's SkyRanger 7 showed a plane in at least two pieces amid a football-field-sized patch of scorched earth, which fire crews doused in streams of water.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, which was several feet away from an airport runway.

The F-35B is the Marines' short-takeoff aircraft; it can take off and land vertically, which is particularly useful for use on aircraft carriers. It is primarily used for anti-air warfare, reconnaissance and offensive air support, according to the Marines.

This is a developing story. Details may change as information is released.

This story originally appeared on NBCSanDiego.com.