According to available reports from Turkish media, the pilot had reported a technical problem. He was ultimately unable to land the aircraft, which crashed in an uninhabited area. The pilot ejected and survived the accident.
The circumstances of the incident are to be investigated by a commission appointed by the Turkish Air Force. Türkiye is the largest export operator of Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcon combat aircraft. Between 1987 and 2012, a total of 270 aircraft in Block 30, Block 40, and Block 50 configurations were delivered to the Turkish Air Force. Due to deteriorating diplomatic relations with the United States and growing political ambitions, Türkiye has been independently pursuing modernization of its F-16 fleet under the ÖZGÜR program.
Photo: USAF
In recent years, Türkiye has also received US approval to purchase modernization packages enabling part of its fleet to be upgraded to the F-16V standard. However, no information has so far emerged confirming the signing of a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the acquisition.
This is already the second F-16 lost by the Turkish Air Force this year. On February 25, F-16C serial number 93-0679, a Block 50 aircraft, crashed, killing its pilot.