Mirage F1 fighter aircraft crashes while on routine mission near Luke Air Force Base, officials say
BUCKEYE, Ariz. - Officials with Luke Air Force Base say a military fight aircraft crashed about 15 miles northwest of the base on Feb. 10.
In a statement, officials say the Mirage F1 aircraft, which operated out of Luke Air Force Base, was on a routine training mission before the crash.
"The pilot was able to safely eject," read a portion of the statement. We have learned that the pilot suffered minor injuries, and is expected to make a full recovery,
Base officials say Buckeye Police, along with support teams from the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron fire department, 56th CES explosive ordnance disposal unit, and 56th Security Forces Squadron, responded to the crash scene.
"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, in the statement.. "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."
Records from the FAA show the aircraft is owned by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company, and the aircraft was used in adversary training exercises.
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