Iraqi pilot crashes F-16 near Douglas, fate unknown

A military fighter jet crashed Wednesday night near Douglas, and the status of the pilot is unknown, the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard reported in a Facebook post.

A small brush fire that the crash sparked was extinguished by early Thursday morning.

A spokesman for the Iraqi defense minister says an Iraqi pilot who has been training in the United States for four years was flying an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that crashed in southern Arizona.

Iraq's Defense Ministry and the Arizona Air National Guard didn't have information on the fate of the pilot, who was the only person aboard when the plane went down during a Wednesday night training mission.

A statement from the 162nd Wing sent around 12 p.m. on Thursday confirmed the fate of the pilot was still unknown while "rescue efforts continue(d)."

The statement also clarified that the F-16 was owned by the Iraqi Air Force.

Brig. Gen. Tahseen Ibrahim, the ministry spokesman, says the Iraqi government has not heard what caused the crash.

The F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, flying with the 162nd Wing, crashed at about 8 p.m. 5 miles east of Douglas Municipal Airport while on a training mission, according to a U.S. military statement.

View an interactive map of the F-16 crash.For mobile devices, click here.

The crash sparked a brush fire near a gas line but the gas line did not rupture, according to a Cochise County Sheriff's spokeswoman.

The blaze was about 400 acres wide at its largest point and came within 150 yards of one home, spokeswoman Carole Capas said.

One family was evacuated and provided with temporary housing overnight, she said, and that family was expected to be allowed to return to their home sometime Thursday afternoon or evening.

Military officials were taking over the investigation and some sheriff's personnel were expected to remain in place to provide security around the scene's perimeter, Capas said.

A board will be appointed to investigate the incident and more information will be provided as it becomes available, the post by the 162nd Wing said.

Includes information from The Associated Press



