U.S. F-16 Fighter Jet Crash-Lands Near National Park

The incident led to the aircraft crash-landing, according to a press release from the Holloman Air Force Base.

The lone pilot aboard the aircraft was able to eject successfully and was subsequently transported to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The incident occurred at approximately 11:50 am, prompting an immediate investigation by a board of qualified officers to ascertain the cause of the mishap.

The base officials stated, "additional details will be released as they become available," and urged non-personnel to steer clear of the area to avoid potential exposure to hazardous chemicals onboard the crashed aircraft.

White Sands National Park, in response to the incident, issued a statement informing the public that all areas beyond mile marker 3 were temporarily closed due to the emergency response to the active incident. The park did not provide a timeline for when normal operations would resume.

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May 02, 2024

Holloman Air Force Base is home to the 54th Fighter Group, which comprises the 311th Fighter Squadron, 314th Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Squadron, 54th Training Squadron, and 54th Operations Support Squadron. The group, as per its website, "consists of approximately 800 personnel, maintains $2.2 billion in F-16 assets, and executes a $144 million operations and maintenance budget to carry out F-16 training." The base also facilitates an extensive flying hour program, training an average of 180 students annually.

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As reported by the Air Force Times, this crash marks the fourth incident in the past year involving an American-owned F-16, with the previous three occurring in South Korea. On average, three such aircraft, each worth millions of dollars, have been involved in accidents annually over the past decade.