Pilot missing after Wisconsin Air National Guard F-16 crashes in Michigan

'We will continue to pray for the pilot’s safe return.'
Jeff Schogol Avatar

By Jeff Schogol

Updated on Dec 9, 2020 10:32 AM EST

A F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, lands after a training mission during Northern Lightning 2020 at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 12, 2020. Northern Lightning is held annually at Volk Field and is a joint-service exercise, where for 2020 the more than 1,000 Airmen and civilians from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, 1st Fighter Wing from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., VFA-151 from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard and civilian contractor Draken International participated in flying simulated combat missions to practice 4th and 5th generation fighter integration. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)

Search and rescue efforts are underway to find a pilot after an F-16 with the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing crashed on Tuesday, according to a message on the wing’s Facebook page.

The F-16 went down around 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the pilot’s status remains unknown, the message says.

“The 115th Fighter Wing participated in a coordinated search effort with local emergency responders, the U.S. Coast Guard and other government agencies overnight,” the message says. “Search and rescue efforts on the ground, in the air, and in the water continue.”

Military personnel from the wing have taken over the responsibilities of securing the crash site from local first responders, the message says.

“We are a close knit family and when an incident like this occurs, every member in our organization feels it.” Col. Bart Van Roo, 115th Fighter Wing commander, said in a statement. “The safety of our pilot along with search and rescue efforts are our top priority, and we will continue to pray for the pilot’s safe return.”