At approximately 11:11 a.m. on Thursday, during a routine training mission, a contracted Mirage F1 fighter aircraft operating out of Luke Air Force Base crashed 15 miles northwest of the base in an unpopulated area. The pilot was able to safely eject.
The cause of the incident is under investigation.
“Our Airmen and partners are our most important resource and we are committed to conducting our mission to train the world’s greatest fighter pilots as safely as possible,” said Brig. Gen. Gregory Kreuder, 56th Fighter Wing Commander. “We are thankful for the continued outstanding support Luke receives from our community partners, especially during difficult situations like this. Finally, I’m grateful nobody was hurt on the ground and the pilot was safely recovered with only minor injuries.”
Support teams from 56th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department, 56th CES explosive ordnance disposal unit, and 56th Security Forces Squadron responded to the scene with help from the Buckeye Police Department.