F-16 Military Jet Crashes Near Holloman Air Force Base, Pilot Safely Ejects

An F-16 military jet crashed near Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico on Tuesday, just before noon local time, according to a U.S. official. The sole occupant of the aircraft, the pilot, successfully ejected from the plane before the crash, confirmed Air Force Col. And 49th Wing Commander Justin Spears.

Spears reported that the F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed approximately five miles west of the base, near White Sands National Park, around 11:50 a.m. local time. The pilot was transported to a local hospital, where they were assessed to be in good condition and later released.

Efforts are underway to ensure the safety of the public and first responders at the crash site, with collaboration between the Air Force and local authorities, including White Sands National Park staff. An investigation into the incident will be conducted by a board of qualified officers to determine its cause.

Emergency response crews accessed the crash site via an entrance road into the national park. While the park remains open to the public, certain areas have been closed off due to the ongoing emergency response.

Holloman Air Force Base, situated approximately five miles west of Alamogordo, New Mexico, serves as the backdrop for this incident. Notably, this marks the third F-16 crash in the United States within the past six months. Previous crashes occurred off the coast of South Korea in December and January during training missions.