ALBAWABA- A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed Wednesday during a training flight in the northwestern province of Yalova, the Defence Ministry said, with the pilot ejecting safely and surviving the incident.
The ministry said the aircraft went down during the training mission and that an investigation had been launched to determine the cause of the crash. “One of our Air Force F-16 aircraft crashed in Yalova during a training flight, and our pilot ejected safely,” the ministry said, adding that the cause would be established following a detailed investigation.
Local media footage showed a large plume of black smoke rising from a field at the crash site. No casualties were reported on the ground.
Provincial authorities said the aircraft crashed near the 18th Main Base Command in Yalova in the afternoon. The jet had taken off from the 1st Main Jet Base in Eskişehir. The pilot was rescued unharmed and taken to Yalova Training and Research Hospital for medical checks, where he was reported to be in good condition.
Emergency crews from Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), medical services and fire departments were dispatched to the scene. An accident investigation team has also begun examining the wreckage.
The F-16 forms the backbone of the Turkish Air Force’s combat aircraft fleet, and Wednesday’s incident is the latest in a series of accidents involving the aircraft.
In February 2026, another Turkish F-16 crashed in Balıkesir province, killing its pilot, Maj. İbrahim Bolat. That aircraft reportedly lost contact shortly after takeoff while investigating an unidentified radar signal near Turkey’s border with Bulgaria.
