F-16 Fighting Falcon News

March 3, 2000 (by Lieven Dewitte) - There has been an unfortunate collision and crash of two TAF F-16C block 50 aircraft, from the 151th Squadron of the 5th Main Jet Fighter Base in Merzifon, Turkey.
The aircraft took off for a night training flight at 19:30 hours on 4th (Tuesday) April 2000, and collided at 20.15hrs. while flying in close formation. The fighter (flown by Lt. Gungor Ozer) flying closely above the other one (flown by Cpt. Murat Ozaydìn) somehow lost altitude and collided with the lower flying plane. Both aircraft lost control, and went down on ground as two fireballs.

Lt. Ozer escaped successfully and was recovered with minor wounds by the SAR teams 2-3 hrs. later. Capt. Ozaydìn's partly burned body was found in the vicinity (claimed to be 500 meters away from) of the wreckage of his plane.

The exact nature & reason of the accident has not been yet confirmed by the TAF and it is not also confirmed whether or not any of the planes were carrying HARM pods, etc."