The pilot ejected after an unexplained training incident near Spangdahlem Air Base
Published 23 Sep, 2026 00:37
US Army personnel in protective suits are investigating the crash site at the US Air Base in Spangdahlem, Germany, September 22, 2026 © Harald Tittel / picture alliance via Getty Images
A US Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed near an American military base in western Germany on Tuesday, with the pilot ejecting before impact.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, went down near Spangdahlem Air Base in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at around 2:30pm local time, the US military said. The pilot was taken for medical treatment.
According to Germany’s air traffic control authority, four F-16s had been taking part in a training exercise. Two remained in the training area while the other two returned toward Spangdahlem, with one believed to have crashed while approaching the base. The remaining aircraft subsequently landed at Ramstein Air Base.
Videos from the area showed a large plume of dark smoke rising near the base as emergency crews responded to the crash.
🇺🇸✈️ US F-16 CRASHES NEAR GERMAN AIR BASE:
— A U.S. Air Force F-16 crashed near Spangdahlem Air Base in western Germany Tuesday afternoon during a training flight.
— The pilot ejected and was injured, according to local and U.S. reports, and is receiving medical treatment. An… pic.twitter.com/YPXPsoNpVN
— Belaaz News (@TheBelaaz) September 22, 2026
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, the US military said.
Footage from the crash in Germany: The U.S. Air Force confirmed that an F-16 crashed at Spangdahlem Air Base. The pilot successfully ejected and survived. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. https://t.co/Li2d5jXolOpic.twitter.com/eL5rvOIIhN
— DDF NEWS (@ddfmarketing1) September 22, 2026
Spangdahlem hosts the US Air Force’s 52nd Fighter Wing and is one of Washington’s key military installations in Germany. The wing operates F-16s and supports US and NATO missions in Europe and elsewhere. Around 5,000 US military personnel and family members are based at the installation, according to AP.
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Spangdahlem’s F-16s have also been involved in the US military buildup around Iran. Aircraft from the base’s 480th Fighter Squadron were deployed to the Middle East in July as Washington resumed strikes against Iranian targets following the collapse of a temporary ceasefire.
