F-16 Fighter Plane Crashes In Arizona, Ruptures Gas Line [Updated]
The military has reported that an F-16 fighter plane crashed near Douglas, Arizona while on a training mission. Rescue workers still haven’t found the pilot, meaning that he either ejected in time or is buried under the wreckage. The crash caused a large fire, forcing one family to evacuate.
According to NBC News, the crash happened five miles east of Douglas Municipal Airport a little past 8 p.m. The site is just north of the border with Mexico, about 230 miles southeast of Phoenix.
F-16 Airplane crash outside of Douglas! Big explosions and fire pic.twitter.com/CJ3gyYTTMl
— Angel Ortega (@or12tega) June 25, 2015
#BREAKING: FAA confirms military plane crash near Douglas, Arizona. #TucsonNewsNow crews heading to the scene. pic.twitter.com/8bEBjWCBJm
— Teresa Jun (@TeresaJunNews) June 25, 2015
The incident happened next to a high-pressure gas-line, which was ruptured causing a massive fire roughly the length of three football fields.
Emergency workers formed a two-mile perimeter around the crash site, according to ABC15.
For Eddie Gonzales’ family it was a chaotic night. He reportedly felt an explosion rock his home. RT reports that he stepped outside and “saw a fireball, like a bomb.”
The local fire department sent “mostly all of our trucks,” and extinguished the flames. One family had to be evacuated for safety, but there were no civilian injuries or fatalities reported.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon was reportedly from the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard, part of the Tucson Air Force Reserve, according to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base spokeswoman Lt. Erin Ranaweera.
AZ Central says a board will be appointed to investigate the incident and provide any further information.
A single F-16 aircraft from @162ndFW went down at approx 8pm today 5 miles E of Douglas of municipal airport. Pilot unknown at this time.
— Davis-Monthan AFB (@DMAFB) June 25, 2015
The plane crash is the second F-16 training mission accident in the past 12 months. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, while training over Kansas, two F-16 Fighter Falcons collided mid-air. One of the pilots ejected to safety, the other managed to fly his crippled plane back to base.
Like in Arizona, the fighter jets burst into flames in a dry open field forcing an emergency effort to contain a rapidly spreading fire.
Federal and local agencies have worked through the night to secure the area and ensure everyone’s safety. More hazmat crews are expected to arrive at sunrise, and the search for the missing pilot will continue.
[Image Credit: U.S. Air Force Photo/Master Sgt. Jack Braden]
