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 406- 420 [Sorted by Date]
Date Status Local S/N Aircraft AF/Unit Version Info Details
18 Jul 2001 [ w/o] 89050 89- 2050 USAF 510 FS F-16C Block 40 E News Article Details
While flying to an Operation Northern Watch mission an engine failure brought the aircraft down. Captain Michael A. Nelson Jr. ejected safely at 10:09 hours at 11 miles east of Batman, Turkey at 2,000 feet. Rescue was by a HH-60G from 305th RQS. The pilot heared a loud bang followed by a buzzing noise only 35 minutes after take-off. RPM decreased and FTIT increased. He attempted 9 airstarts without success. The cause of the crash was a failure of the number 4 bearing assembly.
29 May 2003 [ w/o] 89052 89- 2052 USAF 36 FS F-16C Block 40 E News Article Details
Crashed at the end of the runway after pilot ejected safely during takeoff at 20:06 hours at Osan AB, Korea. Two ducks were sucked into the intake and caused the crash. A woman driving her car just inside the main gate was injured as the debris crossed her path. Large portions of wreckage crossed the road inside the Doolittle gate and into an aircraft historic park.
18 Oct 1994 [ act] 89058 89- 2058 USAF 68 FS F-16C Block 40 F AIB Report Details
The aircraft suffered from a B system hydraulic failure with the landing gear failing. The pilot, Lt. Col. Tom Ardern, made a belly landing.
07 Oct 1991 [ w/o] 89059 89- 2059 USAF 422 TES F-16C Block 42 F Details
Crashed at Nellis AFB Range, Nevada. The pilot, Captain Percival Taylor "Teflon" Gates, was killed in crash.
04 Apr 1991 [ w/o] 89061 89- 2061 USAF 68 TFS F-16C Block 40 F Details
Crashed during training sortie with the pilot, Captain William C. McGowan, ejected safely. The aircraft crashed 18 miles south east of Moody AFB (Haylow), Georgia.
12 Jun 2001 [ w/o] 89063 89- 2063 USAF 35 FS F-16C Block 40 F News Article Details
Lost forty miles southeast of Kunsan AB, Korea taking the life of pilot, First Lieutenant Randolph E. Murff. It is speculated the aircraft struck an electrical pole before impacting a rice paddy. Cause was later determined to be due to spatial disorientation. The aircraft ended up in an inverted steep dive that was not recoverable (13,000 feet, 460 knots, 59° nose low, 165° left bank). The pilot ejected out of the envelope (one second before impact).
23 Mar 1998 [ act] 89067 89- 2067 USAF 4 FS F-16C Block 40 F News Article Details
Veered off Hill AFB’s runway returning from a night surface attack at 20:20 hours. The pilot, Lt. Col. John Burgess, Jr, ejected with minor injuries. Cause of the crash was pilot error. On his approach for landing he failed to use proper decent control due to a step late left turn to line up with the runway.
04 May 2015 [ act] 89068 89- 2068 USAF 555 FS F-16C Block 40 F Details
Departed the runway while landing at Bagram AB, Afghanistan on May 4, 2015. Pilot was uninjured and aircraft was easily repaired in theatre.
18 May 1993 [ w/o] 89069 89- 2069 USAF 18 FS F-16C Block 40 F Details
Crashed near Eielson AFB, Alaska at 15:17 hours killing the pilot Capt. Luis F. Jordan during ACM with a British Tornado. Cause was lack of situational awareness during BFM. The pilot didn't eject.
18 Dec 2002 [ act] 89072 89- 2072 USAF 4 FS F-16C Block 40 F AIB Report Details
Mid-air collission with F-16C (88-0457). Both aircraft and their pilots returned safely to Hill AB. There was $ 1.7 million worth of damage to both aircraft.
20 Jan 1996 [ w/o] 89079 89- 2079 USAF 112 FS F-16C Block 42 F Details
Crashed about 10 miles from Cannon AFB at Clovis, New Mexico while on route to Luke AFB, Arizona. The pilot, Col. Phil Lehman, ejected but suffered serious back injuries.
09 Sep 2003 [ w/o] 89084 89- 2084 USAF 35 FS F-16C Block 40 F News Article Details
Crashed in the Yellow Sea near Kunsan AFB, South Korea. The pilot, capt. Kevin Dydyk, ejected and was rescued 90 minutes after the crash. Cause was determined as poor situational awareness of a low-altitude condition.
12 Oct 2000 [ w/o] 89088 89- 2088 USAF 125 FS F-16C Block 42 F News Article Details
Pilot ejected with minor injuries and the F-16 fell into a field near Atlanta, Kansas. Cause was found to be engine failure after one of the bearings assemblies failed. The engine shut down, causing the pilot to attempt a restart. After the wingman saw fire coming out of the engine, he called for him to eject.
16 Dec 1991 [ w/o] 89089 89- 2089 USAF 19 FS F-16C Block 42 F Details
Crashed 2,5 miles southwest of Mullins, South Carolina at 17:17 hours enroute to conduct 1v1 night intercepts. It suffered a dual engine fuel resolver failure resulting in fuel starvation and engine stall / stagnation. Unsuccessful airstart and subsequent engine fire required the pilot, Capt David R. Rue, to eject. The ejection was successful with minor injuries to the pilot.
23 Dec 1993 [ act] 89091 89- 2091 USAF 112 FS F-16C Block 42 F Details
The right main landing gear failed. This caused the aircraft to skid across runway, two taxi ways and the ramp coming to rest in front of the port authority fire department building. There were no injuries.

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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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