A United States Air Force (USAF) F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter crashed in South Korea.
The fighter, which belonged to the 8th Fighter Wing of the USAF, was on a routine daytime training sortie. It crashed in an agricultural area approximately 10 nautical miles from Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, on May 6, 2023.
The pilot was able to eject safely from the aircraft and was transported to Osan Air Base for evaluation and monitoring. The pilot is currently in stable condition, and there are no other reported injuries.
“While we don’t have any additional information yet, we are relieved the pilot safely ejected and there were no other injuries,” said Colonel Henry R. Jeffress, III, 8th Fighter Wing commander. “The US Air Force will standup an independent Safety Investigation Board to review all data and evidence related to today’s incident and use that information to determine its cause and prescribe any corrective safety measures to ensure the safety of the F-16 fleet.”
The moment of the crash was captured on video, showing the aircraft impacting the ground near a road and erupting in a fireball. The pilot can then be seen parachuting to safety.
The 8th Fighter Wing, also known as the “Wolf Pack,” is based at Kunsan Air Base on the west coast of the South Korean peninsula and regularly participates in joint training exercises with the South Korean military to maintain readiness in the region.
