US Marines F-35 jet crashes in South Carolina; incident comes same week plane flew first combat mission

An F-35B fighter jet crashed near Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina late Friday morning, military officials said, just days after the cutting-edge aircraft flew its first combat mission in Afghanistan.
“At approximately 11:45, a 2D Marine Aircraft Wing F-35B impacted near the Broad River in Beaufort County. The pilot safely ejected and is being examined by medical personnel,” Marine Corps officials said in a statement.
The incident, which is under investigation, comes during the same week the aircraft was first used in a combat zone.
F-35B fighters with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 flew their first combat missions in Afghanistan this week, military officials said Thursday, launching air strikes in support of “ground clearance operations.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/sep/28/f-35-jet-crashes-south-carolina/