An F-18 US military jet pilot ejected from his plane moments before it crashed into a residential neighborhood in San Diego, California on Monday, Fox News reported.

The crash happened as the jet was returning to the Miramar field after completing a landing training on a Navy aircraft carrier, the Marine Corps said in a news release. The cause of the crash is under investigation, it said.

Eyewitnesses described hearing loud bangs as the plane came down.

Scott Patterson, an area resident, says he “heard two large booms and then saw smoke”. He also said he could see people running in the area. Television news footage shows one house and two cars on fire in the suburb of University City.

In the latest update, KTLA News reported that the said collision killed at least two people and two homes were completely destroyed. The charred remains of a building were also clearly visible.

Massive traffic jams have snarled traffic in the area, making it difficult for firefighters and police to reach the neighborhood, according to witnesses.

The F-18 is a supersonic jet used widely in the Marine Corps and Navy.

Photo: Fox News