A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed at Spangdahlem Air Base in western Germany on Tuesday afternoon, September 22. The aircraft, assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron of the 52nd Fighter Wing, crashed at around 2:30 p.m. local time while returning to the base.
The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was taken for medical treatment. The crash occurred on base property near the airfield’s golf course, beneath the approach to Runway 04. Local residents reported seeing the aircraft lose altitude rapidly before a large column of smoke appeared.
German emergency services were initially dispatched to the incident, although the response was later scaled back after it was confirmed that the crash site was inside the U.S. installation.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation. Reports have emerged that the aircraft may have suffered a bird strike, based on communications with air traffic control, but the U.S. Air Force has not confirmed a bird strike as the cause.
The aircraft’s individual serial number has not yet been released.