A Belgian F-16AM Fighting Falcon (FA-130) ran into trouble at Leeuwarden Air Base and collided with a building. The pilot used his ejection seat to pull himself to safety.

According to the Air Force, for a still unexplained reason, the aircraft started accelerating on its own during the start-up procedure. The aircraft then drilled into an empty ‘F-16 armament’ enclosure located directly opposite. Photos show that the landing gear has broken off and the fuselage lies on the ground.

The pilot used the ejection seat shortly before the impact and landed just outside the air base. He was taken to the hospital with a broken leg. At the hangar, a Belgian technician was injured who was going through safety procedures with the pilot. He was attached to the F-16 by a cable and fell when the aircraft “went wild. The man was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

The Military Police, the Defense Safety Inspectorate, the Dutch Safety Board and a Belgian investigation team are conducting an investigation into the incident at Leeuwarden Air Base.

The Belgians are at the Frisian airbase with five F-16s because a number of pilots are being trained as weapons instructors.