F-16 Fighter Pilot Dies After Crash in South Carolina

From Popular Mechanics

• The F-16 crashed near Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina.

• The pilot was killed, with name withheld pending notification of next of kin.

• The incident is the fifth U.S. military fighter jet crash in just six weeks.

A F-16 U.S. Air Force F-16CM fighter jet crashed at Shaw Air Force Base yesterday, killing the pilot. A video posted to social media showed a large fire on the runway, with base firefighters attempting to extinguish the blaze. The incident is the fifth crash of a U.S. military fighter jet since mid-May.

The mishap took place at approximately 11:30 p.m. at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. A fighter jet belonging to the 20th Fighter Wing reportedly crashed on landing after a routine training exercise. The pilot was deceased at the scene and the name was being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The F-16CM is one of the more recent versions of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Part of the Block 50/52 series of jets purchased in the 1990s, F-16s of the 20th Wing specialize in suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) missions. Also known as “Wild Weasels,” the jets can launch HARM missiles designed to hunt down and destroy ground-based radar systems.

Tuesday’s crash is the fifth fighter crash in six weeks. On May 15, an Air Force F-22 Raptor crashed at Eglin Air Force Base. Less than a week later, a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was also lost at Eglin.

On June 15, a U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle crashed into the North Sea, killing the pilot. Three days later a F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt crashed in the Philippine Sea. In addition to the tragic loss of life, the combined value of just five lost jets likely exceeds half a billion dollars.

Source: Defense News

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