Turkish Air Force F-16 crashes near Yalova during training flight

A Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed on August 12, 2026, in the northwestern province of Yalova while on a training flight, according to Turkey's Ministry of National Defense. The pilot ejected and survived the incident.

The ministry said the aircraft belonged to a squadron based at the 1st Main Jet Base in Eskişehir and that the cause of the crash would be determined following a detailed investigation.

Yalova's governor, Ahmet Hamdi Usta, told reporters at the scene that the jet came down around 15:00 local time close to the 18th Main Base Command, a military installation in the province. He said the pilot was recovered without injury and that no civilians or military personnel on the ground were harmed.

Emergency responders, including teams from Turkey's disaster management agency, medical rescue services and firefighters, were sent to the crash site. According to the governor, the wreckage was reached before any fire broke out, and an investigation team had begun technical examination of the site. One Turkish outlet reported that the pilot was taken to a hospital in Yalova for evaluation.

Asked whether the crash resulted from a mid-air collision, the governor said only a single aircraft was involved and ruled out a collision, adding that a technical malfunction was the likely cause, though he emphasized that the official investigation board would need to confirm this. The F-16 had taken off from Eskişehir, and the governor noted that Air Force Academy students and candidates are undergoing training in the Yalova area, where aircraft from Eskişehir and other bases operate.