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S. Korean F-16D fighter jet crashes, 2 pilots eject safely

March 30, 2016

White smoke billows from a bush fire on an uninhabited hill in Cheongsong, 322 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on March 30, 2016, where an F-16D fighter jet on an air strike exercise crashed due to sudden engine failure. The two pilots safely ejected from the stricken plane, and the crash resulted in no civilian harm. (Yonhap)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — A South Korean F-16D fighter jet crashed during an air strike exercise on Wednesday, but the two pilots safely ejected from the stricken plane, the Air Force said.

After a sudden engine failure, the combat airplane plunged into an uninhabited hill in Cheongsong, 322 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at 4:06 p.m., according to the Air Force.

The crash did not result in any civilian-related damage, although it caused a bush fire. The ejected pilots were unhurt, the Air Force said in a brief press release.

The single-engine jet from the Air Force’s fighter wing based in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, was conducting an air-to-ground strike drill when the accident took place, it said.

“The Air Force is investigating the exact cause of the accident after setting up an emergency accident handling committee,” according to the Air Force.

A firefighting helicopter was sent to the accident site to put out the fire, it also said.