Pilot's Dream Career Nearly Ends in Crash of F-35B

A U.S. Marine Corps pilot, Charles "Tre" Del Pizzo, recently experienced a dramatic ejection from an F-35B fighter jet just 30 meters above the ground near Miramar Air Base in San Diego on July 31, 2026. The pilot, who had a lifelong dream of flying, managed to escape the crashing aircraft unharmed.

Del Pizzo, a thin man with thick red hair, does not fit the stereotype of an arrogant pilot. He speaks with self-deprecating humor and prefers discussing those around him, particularly his grandfather. His grandfather, a poor Italian immigrant from Philadelphia, served in World War II, carrying a metal cup engraved with the names of European countries he traversed under General George Patton.

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My grandfather was a poor young Italian from Philadelphia who married a rich Irish woman he met at church. He was one of those guys who could hear a song once and play it on the piano without taking lessons.

Growing up, Del Pizzo expected to follow his father into the Navy. While his father possessed mechanical skills, fixing cars with ease, Del Pizzo believes he inherited a "pilot gene." He acknowledges a generational gap, noting he doesn't speak Italian and lacks his father's car repair abilities.

This recent F-35B crash occurred in the wake of another F-35B incident in September 2023 in South Carolina. While the exact causes for both accidents are still under investigation, the incidents raise questions about the advanced fighter jet's reliability. Del Pizzo is currently in the process of relocating after 31 years of service in the Marines, having driven over 4,000 km from Yuma, Arizona, to his new home near Washington, D.C.

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My father knew how to fix anything on a car. You know, it's funny what you lose over generations – for example, I don't speak Italian and I don't know how to fix cars. But I guess I inherited the pilot gene.