BREAKING NEWS: F-18 jet crash

Authorities in the United States have said that an F-18 military jet has crashed. The plane, reports the Winnipeg Sun has crashed in a residential neighbourhood of San Diego.

The BBC has said that the San Diego Fire Department described the scene of the crash as "a heavily-populated area" near the 805 freeway.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor told the Winnipeg Sun that the plane crashed shortly before noon today.

It was preparing to land at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

The crash occurred about three kilometres from the base reports the newspaper.

Associated Press reports it isn’t clear if there are any injuries. Television news footage showed one house and two cars on fire, the news agency said.

"At this point, the only indication is that the only person who may be injured is the pilot," Monica Munoz, spokeswoman for the San Diego police department, told local TV station KNSD, reports Reuters

Cpl. Frances Goch, a spokeswoman for the Air Station, said the plane is believed to have been an F-18 from a training squadron, Reuters reported.

The plane crashed into the residential neighborhood near Cather Avenue and Huggins Streets in University City, near University of California at San Diego, KTLA news has reported.

Gayle Newcomb from University City High School said the plane "missed the school entirely". All the students are reportedly safe, says a Reuters Report.

"We saw two big bangs," Scott Patterson, a local resident told KNX radio. "The smoke came up. We don't know what it was."

The F-18, one of the US military’s widely used jets.

Miramar is remembered for featuring in the Hollywood movie Top Gun. About ten thousand marines are stationed there.