Ukrainian F-16 Crashes During Combat Mission, Pilot Ejects

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet crashed while repelling an enemy air attack. The pilot ejected.

The Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on this.

Contact with the aircraft was lost on May 16 around 3:30 a.m. According to preliminary data, the pilot destroyed three aerial targets and was engaging a fourth using the aircraft’s cannon.

“However, an emergency situation occurred on board. The pilot steered the aircraft away from a populated area and successfully ejected,” the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

It is noted that thanks to the prompt actions of the search and rescue team, the pilot had been quickly located and evacuated.

The pilot is currently in stable condition and safe, with no threat to his life or health.

A special commission has been appointed to thoroughly investigate the incident, and it has already begun its work.

This is the third loss of an F-16 fighter jet, which only recently entered service with the Ukrainian Air Force. Fortunately, this time the pilot survived.

The previous tragedy occurred on April 12, claiming the life of 26-year-old pilot Pavlo Ivanov, who was carrying out a combat mission.

In August of last year, another F-16 fighter jet crashed, also while repelling one of Russia’s air attacks. On that occasion, pilot Oleksii Mes, callsign Moonfish, was killed. He was 30 years old.

The transfer of Western F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine was a lengthy process. On August 4, 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi confirmed that the first jets had already been in the possession of the Ukrainian Air Force and showcased them at an airfield.

These fighter jets are primarily used to shoot down aerial targets during Russian attacks.