Air Force KF-16 'Engine Malfunction' Crash... Pilot Ejects Safely (Comprehensive)
"Pilot Safe, Civilian Damage Under Investigation"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hee-jun] One Air Force KF-16 fighter jet crashed due to engine failure.
According to the Air Force on the 20th, a KF-16 fighter jet belonging to the 19th Fighter Wing experienced engine failure while performing a mission around 8:05 p.m. over the western area approximately 20 km above Wonju-si, Gangwon Province.
The pilot who ejected safely is reported to be unharmed, and the military authorities are investigating whether there was any damage to civilians. It has not yet been confirmed whether the crashed fighter jet was a single-seat KF-16C or a two-seat KF-16D.
The KF-16 is an F-16 series fighter jet introduced through the Korean Fighter Program (KFP), which assembles and produces F-16 fighter jets using domestically manufactured parts.
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The KF-16 first experienced a crash accident in August 1997, followed by another crash in September of the same year. Both accidents were attributed to corrosion in the fuel ducts. Later, in February 2002, one aircraft crashed due to damage to the engine turbine blades. Five years later, in February 2007, a maintenance failure accident occurred, and in July of the same year, a crash into the West Sea due to pilot error during flight resulted in two fatalities. Additionally, in March 2009, one aircraft crashed due to pilot error, and in February 2019, another crashed due to a parts failure.
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