F-16 Fighting Falcon News

March 13, 2007 (by Asif Shamim) - A 2nd F-16 crashed on Monday 12th, this time on the Southern Nevada training range, Nellis Air Force Base officials said Tuesday. The pilot is reported to have safely ejected.
The F-16C (#91-0386) assigned to the 16th Weapons Squadron from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School crashed at 20.50h near the end of the runway, while on approach to the Tonopah Test Range Airfield, approximately 20 miles southeast of Tonopah, Nev. The aircraft was flying a night training mission over the restricted Nevada Test and Training Range.

The cause of the Monday evenings crash was under investigation. A base spokesman reported.

Earlier the same day, another F-16 (#87-0380) from the 93rd "Makos" FS went down off the Florida Keys during a training mission. That pilot, a member of the Air Force Reserve, also ejected safely and was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard, said Lt. Col. Tom Davis, chief of public affairs at Homestead Air Reserve Base.

The Florida crash was classified as a plane malfunction, but the exact cause was still being investigated, Davis said.

Nellis, about 10 miles North of Las Vegas, holds regular Red Flag air combat training exercises. The base also is home to the Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team. The Tonopah Test Range Airfield is approximately 212 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base.