An F-16 crashed into a warehouse adjacent to March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County, California, at approximately 3:40 p.m. local time on Thursday afternoon. The building was evacuated after the crash and several minor injuries to people on the ground have been reported. The pilot was able to eject from the aircraft and is believed to be uninjured.
It has been reported that the aircraft was carrying live ordnance and that the Riverside County bomb squad and explosive ordnance disposal teams from March were on site. A section of Interstate 215 has been closed and the surrounding area cordoned off due to the accident. The pilot is part of the 144th Fighter Wing Air National Guard unit based in Fresno, California. The aircraft is believed to have been participating in routine training activities and possibly suffered a hydraulic failure.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
#BREAKING image from inside a warehouse near March Air Reserve Base where a fighter jet crashed this afternoon Courtesy: Jeff Schoffstall pic.twitter.com/OJa0WBRMnM
— Rob McMillan (@abc7robmcmillan) May 16, 2019
