F-16 Reference

F-16 Aircraft Database

F-16 Accidents & Mishaps for the United States Air Force

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Found 523 aircraft, displaying 361- 375 [Sorted by Date]
Date Status Local S/N Aircraft AF/Unit Version Info Details
18 Dec 2002 [ act] 88457 88- 0457 USAF 4 FS F-16C Block 40 C AIB Report Details
Mid-air collission with F-16C (89-2072). Both aircraft and their pilots returned safely to Hill AB. There was $ 1.7 million worth of damage to both aircraft.
01 Dec 1990 [ w/o] 88461 88- 0461 USAF 310 TFTS F-16C Block 42 C Details
Crashed at Palmdale, California onto the ramp next to Plant 42 (were the B-2 was being manufactured). The pilot ejected safely. This was a so-called piddle pack accident were a buckle/flight control system interaction occured after a urination break. The pilot, Captain Craig Fisher, partially unstrapped at 27,000 feet to use the piddle pack and initiated the ejection at 1,500 feet after having to re-arm the ejection seat.
24 Aug 1992 [ act] 88465 88- 0465 USAF 307 FS F-16C Block 40 C Details
Wrecked because of hurricane Andrew, nose wheel collapsed, radome ripped off, and holes in air planes skin. Repair was carried out by Ogden ALC with work being completed by August of 1993.
08 Sep 2011 [ act] 88466 88- 0466 USAF 4 FS F-16C Block 40 C Details
A storm hit Nellis AFB, Nevada on September 8, 2011 at just after 5pm causing a row of aircraft sunshelters to fall striking aircraft and injuring airman. In total eleven F-16s including this one and two A-10s were damaged. Aircraft was quickly repaired.
14 Jan 1992 [ w/o] 88470 88- 0470 USAF 421 FS F-16C Block 40 C Details
Crashed at the Utah Test and Training Range during a practice bombing run. This Desert Storm veteran was based at Hill AFB. The pilot, 1st Lt. Brett Kulkarni, was injured in the ejection. The aircraft was inadvertently entered IMC and then went into a steep dive from which the pilot was unable to recover.
22 Apr 1998 [ w/o] 88473 88- 0473 USAF 188 FS F-16C Block 40 C News Article Details
Crashed 70 miles southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico at White Sands Missile Range while on a training mission. The pilot, 2nd Lt. Patrick J. 'Sherman' Potter, was killed in the mishap flying into terrain without ejecting.
16 May 2019 [ w/o] 88477 88- 0477 USAF 175 FS F-16C Block 40 C News Article Details
The aircraft crashed on approach to March AB around 15:40 hours local. The pilot ejected safely. The aircraft crashed in a warehouse fortunately not injuring anyone. The cause of the mishap was an improper installation of two hydraulic check valves in the right Flaperon Integrated Servo Actuator (FISA) which resulted in a loss of sufficient hydraulic pressure to control the aircraft.
10 Feb 1995 [ w/o] 88478 88- 0478 USAF 308 FS F-16C Block 42 C Details
Collided with F-16D (83-1185) over Luke AFB, Arizona. Wreckage from the F-16 came down near the runway and within 300 feet of five F-15E's each loaded with four live Mk84's. SSgt. Owens and his crew rushed to unload the ordanance and safety the aircraft. The pilot, First Lieutenant Charles Durfree, ejected safely but broke both heels due to ejecting at such a low altitude with the parachute probably not opening entirely. Captains Barry Beckner and Ben Culp were flying the other aircraft and landed it safely. The other aircraft, was repaired and returned to active duty at Luke.
11 May 2022 [ w/o] 88480 88- 0480 USAF 175 FS F-16C Block 40 C Newsarticle Details
Departed the runway at around 14:45h local time during landing at Joe Foss Field. The pilot left the jet unhurt.
08 Jan 1991 [ w/o] 88483 88- 0483 USAF 4 TFS F-16C Block 40 C Details
The mishap occurred in the north-eastern part of Saudi Arabia at Night Camel West training area. Crashed killing the pilot, Captain Michael L. Chinburg, during a night training flight. It is believed to have been from spatial disorientation. Deployed for Desert Storm, but did not see any combat.
08 Sep 2011 [ act] 88486 88- 0486 USAF 4 FS F-16C Block 40 C Details
A storm hit Nellis AFB, Nevada on September 8, 2011 at just after 5pm causing a row of aircraft sunshelters to fall striking aircraft and injuring airman. In total eleven F-16s including this one and two A-10s were damaged. Aircraft was quickly repaired.
25 Nov 2015 [ w/o] 88487 88- 0487 USAF 314 FS F-16C Block 42 C News Article Details
The aircraft went down around 08:45h local time near Salinas Peak, which is 45 miles northwest of Holloman AFB. The pilot ejected safely.
20 Sep 1994 [ w/o] 88488 88- 0488 USAF 421 FS F-16C Block 40 C Details
Crashed at about 11:00 hours in a cornfield 12 miles away from Hill AFB, Utah. The aircraft was on a training mission on the Utah Test and Training Range. The pilot, Capt. Michael D. Goldfein, safely ejected and landed in the Great Salt Lake. He was rescued by a UH-1 from Hill’s 545th Test Group and released from hospital after examination. A faulty fan blade in the engine was the cause of the crash
17 Jan 1991 [ act] 88488 88- 0488 USAF 4 TFS F-16C Block 40 C Details
Sustained battle damage to the bottom of the intake. Repaired by SABCA and returned to the United States on January 22, 1992. The 4th TFS had already been changed to the 4th FS by this time.
26 Mar 1999 [ w/o] 88490 88- 0490 USAF 308 FS F-16C Block 42 C News Article Details
Suffered an engine failure which forced pilot, Captain Michael G. Rider, to eject. The aircraft crashed after about 20 minutes of flight at 8:40 hours, 22 miles southwest of Luke AFB, Arizona. All Luke AFB F-16's were subsequently grounded as the result of the crash until all engines could be inspected. Cracks were found in 63 other F-16 P&W 220 engines augmentor ducts. Cracks in the afterburner resulted in an earlier F-16 crash on February 3, 1999. The aircraft was on a training mission with practice munitions.

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Abbreviations and symbols:
[act] Active [i/a] Instructional Airframe [sto] Stored (e.g. at AMARG)
[cld] Cancelled Order [msh] Involved in Mishap [w/o] Write-off
[con] Converted [o/o] On Order
[des] Destroyed (drone) [pre] Preserved (museum, gateguard) T/V LM Aero Type/Version (Construction) number
[emb] Embargoed [scr] Scrapped Photo Available
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Errors and Omissions

Mar 04, 2022 - 09:51 AM
F-16 CRASH

I couldn't find the Edwards AFB crash of 2001 in this list. I was trying to find what tail number it was.


Mar 04, 2024 - 06:45 AM
Jan 82

Some time in the 80s a f16 landing at nellis missed the the arresting Hook and went thru the barrier at end of runway and came to rest in 3 pieces on the golf course

Pilot was cut out of cockpit and walked away





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