United States Air Force (USAF) General Dynamics F-16CM Fighter jet callsign “Warhawk 11”, of 52nd FW, crashed into a wooded area near Zemmer, north of Trier.
The pilot was able to eject out of the aircraft in time and was taken to hospital suffering minor injuries. According to a US Air Force spokesperson, the plane crashed during a routine training flight.
Officials said the jet came down in a forest in the Zemmer area during a training mission, between the city of Trier and the U.S. Air Force’s Spangdahlem Air Base.
Base spokeswoman Angela Watson confirmed the plane crashed around 3pm local time on Tuesday and the pilot, who was taken to hospital with minor injuries, was safe. She provided no immediate details about the cause of the crash.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Authorities blocked off a large zone around the crash site including several roads, the police statement added, urging drivers to avoid the area.
A spokesman for the nearby US military airbase at Spangdahlem told AFP he had no further information about the crash, its causes or the health of the pilot.
At least 24 F-16 fighter jets and around 4,000 US troops are stationed at the Spangdahlem air base.
