U.S. Air Force pilot injured while landing F-16 fighter at Gunsan base

SEOUL/GUNSAN, Dec. 2 (Yonhap) -- A pilot from a United States Air force unit in the South Korean city of Gunsan sustained injuries while landing an F-16 fighter jet at the unit's air base Monday.

The pilot from the 8th Fighter Wing suffered minor injuries while trying to get out of the fighter on the runway at around 3:30 p.m., according to military sources.

The pilot was sent to a hospital, although the exact reason the pilot tried to exit the cockpit and the overall condition F-16 at the time of the landing remain unclear.

No crash or explosion were reported at the base on South Korea's west coast, 270 kilometers south of Seoul.

Following the incident, the head of the 8th Fighter Wing temporarily halted all military and civilian flight operations from Gunsan. Investigators are currently looking into the exact cause of the mishap.

pbr@yna.co.kr
(END)