The status of 162nd Wing F-16 pilot is unknown at the moment and a rescue effort is underway
On Sep. 5, 2017 an F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Safford, Arizona at 3 p.m. the unit said on its Facebook page.
Safford is about 165 miles southeast of Phoenix.
The status of the pilot is unknown at the moment and a rescue effort is underway.
The U.S. Air Force (USAF) has assembled an interim safety board to investigate the incident.
162nd Wing is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard’s lead F-16 pilot training unit.
Noteworthy the 162nd is one of the largest Air National Guard (ANG) wings in the country and resides on 92 acres next to the Tucson International Airport. The wing shares use of the runway, security and fire control with the airport.
Specifically, the wing serves the U.S. and allied nations by providing the finest fighter training programs in the world. The 162nd in fact has trained pilots from 25 countries that fly the F-16 today while developing strategic partnerships and building strong international relationships based on performance, friendship, and trust.
Source: U.S. Air Force
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force
