An F-16 fighter jet crashed on Wednesday during a training flight in the northwestern Turkish province of Yalova, the Turkish defense ministry confirmed. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and survived the incident.
Videos circulating on local media depicted a large fireball erupting from a field, followed by a dense plume of black smoke. Another aircraft was visible in the vicinity, with a second, less substantial smoke trail.
The crash occurred during training exercises at Yalova Airfield Command, located southeast of Istanbul. Reports from Türkiye Today indicate the aircraft went down near the 18th Main Jet Base in Taskopru town, within Yalova’s Ciftlikkoy district. Emergency medical and fire teams were immediately dispatched to the scene.
The pilot was transported to the nearby Yalova Training and Research Hospital for treatment. The F-16 aircraft belonged to the Gazelle Squadron of the Eskisehir 1st Main Jet Base, a unit specializing in reconnaissance missions.
The Turkish military announced it will conduct an investigation into the cause of the crash.
This incident follows a separate event last month where a military aircraft caught fire in mid-air before making an emergency landing at a Greek holiday island airport. The plane touched down at Zakynthos International Airport with visible flames, which subsequently spread on the runway. The pilot landed safely and was unharmed, according to reports. The cause of that emergency landing and fire remains under investigation, with authorities assessing potential landing gear issues on the aircraft, which was part of the 116th Combat Wing operating from Araxos Airbase in northwestern Peloponnese.