F-16 crashes near base in Germany

Published September 22, 2026 2:48pm ET | Updated September 22, 2026 2:48pm ET



A U.S. military pilot is being treated for injuries after his fighter jet crashed on Tuesday in Germany, according to officials. 

The F-16 Fighting Falcon went down near a U.S. base in western Germany that supports NATO operations in Europe and elsewhere. The accident at the Spangdahlem Air Base, which is home to the U.S. Air Force’s 52nd Fighter Wing, is the second such incident in under a week, after another U.S. fighter pilot sustained injuries following a crash in Michigan. 

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