United States Air Force F-16C Crash

A 52nd Fighter Wing F-16C crashed on approach to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on 22 September 2026 around 2:30 p.m. local time. The aircraft was part of a four-ship formation returning from a routine training sortie when it went down on the base's golf course, beneath the approach path to the runway; the pilot ejected safely and received medical treatment, with no ground injuries reported. The other three F-16s diverted and landed at Ramstein Air Base. Spangdahlem hosts the 480th Fighter Squadron, the U.S. Air Force's dedicated Wild Weasel suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses unit in Europe. The cause remains under investigation. It was the second U.S. Air Force F-16 mishap within a week, after the 17 September training crash in Michigan.