Turkish F-16 Fighter Jet Goes Down in Balikesir, Pilot Dead

RunWithRugs · 2026-02-26T19:37:01+00:00

A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in Balikesir, killing its pilot. Contact was lost shortly after takeoff, prompting a search that found the wreckage. An investigation into the crash's cause is underway.

RunWithRugs

2026-02-26 19:37:01

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(MENAFN) A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet went down in the western province of Balikesir in the early hours of Wednesday, claiming the life of its pilot, the country’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed.

The aircraft had departed from the 9th Main Jet Base Command before all contact was abruptly severed. Authorities launched an immediate search and rescue operation, which ultimately located the wreckage.

“At 0056 local time (2156 GMT), radio contact and the location of our F-16, which took off from the 9th Main Jet Base Command in Balikesir, were lost. As a result of the immediately initiated search and rescue operations, it was determined that our aircraft had crashed, and its wreckage was found,” the ministry said on X.

Officials confirmed that a formal investigation into the precise cause of the deadly crash has since been launched and remains actively ongoing.

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