An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base crashed at approximately 8:45 a.m., Jan. 21 north of Luke AFB in the vicinity of Bagdad, Ariz.
Luke AFB officials are working closely with local authorities in a search and rescue operation. Due to the remote location and rugged terrain, the status of the pilot is unknown.
The cause of the crash is unknown at this time.
Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the 56th Fighter Wing commander, has established an interim safety board to begin the preliminary investigation.