A pilot escaped with his life after crashing an F-16 fighter jet into a California warehouse on Thursday.

He was on a training mission when the impact happened on landing approach at March Air Reserve Base 50 miles East of Los Angeles.

The pilot ejected just off the end of the runway before the crash and authorities reported he had no major injuries after going to hospital.

Footage shows a large hole the jet tore through the roof of the 500,000-sq-ft building and sprinklers started to go off in the warehouse.

The jet's cockpit can be seen was on a runway and a parachute is lying in a nearby field.

The F-16 may have had a hydraulic failure which led to the crash according to base officials.