South Korean KF-16 Fleet Grounded After Jet Skids Off Runway During Alaska Drill, Crew Safe

A Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) KF-16 fighter jet skidded off the runway during takeoff at Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska on June 10, prompting the ejection of both pilots and leading South Korea to ground its entire fleet of KF-16 aircraft.

The incident occurred around 4:00 P.M. local time during pre-training operations for Red Flag Alaska, a multinational aerial combat exercise hosted by the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft, a two-seat variant of the domestically produced KF-16 Fighting Falcon, veered into the grass infield within the secured perimeter of the base.

A small fire broke out following the crash but was quickly extinguished by emergency crews from the U.S. Air Force’s 354th Fighter Wing and local responders. Both pilots were safely ejected and taken to Basset Army Community Hospital for evaluation. Authorities confirmed that neither sustained serious injuries.

“Our priority is the safety and well-being of all personnel involved in the aircraft incident,” said Col. Paul Townsend, commander of the 354th Fighter Wing. “We are in close communication with the ROKAF and are offering our full cooperation in the ongoing investigation.”

South Korea’s military confirmed the incident and said it has grounded its KF-16 fleet pending investigation. According to the Korean Air Force, the jet experienced an anomaly while accelerating for takeoff, resulting in a partial fire in the front section of the aircraft.

The Korean Air Force dispatched an accident investigation team and an emergency maintenance crew—about 20 personnel in total—to Alaska aboard a KC-330 tanker aircraft. The team arrived on June 12 and began on-site inspections to determine whether the issue occurred during the takeoff roll or after liftoff.

“We will provide further explanations based on the findings,” said Jang Dong-ha, head of the Air Force's public affairs team.

The South Korean Air Force operates about 160 F-16-class aircraft, including 130 KF-16s built domestically. These fighters are a central part of South Korea’s air combat capabilities.

The damaged jet was one of six KF-16s deployed by South Korea for this year’s Red Flag Alaska exercise, which includes air forces from the United States, Japan, Belgium and South Korea. The aircraft arrived in Alaska on June 5, with the main training phase scheduled from June 12 to 27.

Local authorities near Eielson Air Force Base have requested that motorists avoid stopping on Richardson Highway, which runs along the base, as recovery operations are underway. Photography in the area is prohibited under federal law.

This incident comes just months after a separate mishap involving KF-16s. In March, two jets accidentally dropped live MK-82 bombs during a drill over Pocheon, injuring more than 30 people and causing significant damage to civilian property. That incident was attributed to pilot error.

As of now, South Korea has not confirmed whether it will continue its participation in the Red Flag Alaska exercise. “Once the investigation is complete, we will decide whether to continue participating in the training or return home,” Jang said.