NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — UPDATE, 3:22 a.m. EDT Thursday: A U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot has been killed in a crash over the Nevada Test and Training Range on Wednesday.
According to Nellis Air Force Base, the pilot was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed about 10:30 a.m. during a routine aerial demonstration training flight in central Nevada.
The training range covers some 4,500 square miles.
A U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed over the Nevada Test and Training Range today at approximately 10:30 a.m. during a routine aerial demonstration training flight. https://t.co/5dLwe3Gs2A
— Thunderbirds (@AFThunderbirds) April 5, 2018
The pilot's name and hometown are being withheld for 24 hours, pending notification of next of kin, Air Force officials said.
An investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Child reported missing found dead less than 1 hour later
- Delta Air Lines latest victim of cyber incident
- President Trump working to deploy National Guard to U.S.-Mexico border
ORIGINAL STORY: An Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in the Nevada desert Wednesday morning during a routine training mission, according to a military news release.
The jet from Nellis Air Force Base went down on the Nevada Test and Training Range at 10:30 a.m. PST.
Emergency responders raced to the scene on the range, but military officials have not yet released the condition of the pilot.
HERE IT IS via @NellisAFB: -- An Air Force F-16 assigned to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, crashed at approximately 10:30 am during routine training on the Nevada Test and Training Range.
— Oriana Pawlyk (@Oriana0214) April 4, 2018
The condition of the pilot is unknown at this time.
The accident is under investigation and follows the fatal crash of a CH-53E Super Stallion heliocopter Tuesday in southern California that killed four marines while the crew was practicing desert landings, according to military officials.
This is the first accident at Nellis since back-to-back crashes last fall at the testing range, the Air Force Times reported. One of those crashes was fatal.
The Nevada Test and Training Range is in the southern part of the state in the Mojave Desert and covers some 3 million acres.
>>> ⚡️ “Air Force F-16 jet crashes outside of Las Vegas, officials confirm”https://t.co/OgDL7IcPi7
— Oriana Pawlyk (@Oriana0214) April 4, 2018
Cox Media Group
