A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to bomb ISIS targets in the Middle East was killed when his F-16 fighter crashed on Sunday, military officials said.
The Fighting Falcon reportedly suffered a mechanical malfunction shortly after takeoff. The pilot attempted to return to an airstrip in Jordan but crashed short of the runway, according to multiple news accounts.
Officials said the crash was not combat-related and there is no evidence the jet was brought down by enemy fire. The cause is under investigation, and the pilot’s name has not yet been released.
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