Wisconsin Air National Guard pilot found dead after F-16 crash

The Wisconsin Air National Guard announced the death of the pilot whose F-16 fighter jet crashed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Tuesday night. 

Authorities said on Thursday that the pilot’s identity will not be released until the service member’s next of kin is notified.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” 115th Fighter Wing commander Col. Bart Van Roo said in a statement. “We are an extremely close knit group in the fighter wing, and the loss of one of our own brings immeasurable sadness to every member of our organization.”

The 115th Fighter Wing said on Wednesday that it was searching for the pilot after the F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed during a routine training mission around 8 p.m. local time in Delta County, Mich. The accident was the third F-16 crash this year. 

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, authorities said Thursday. Additional details will be released as they become available.

A congressionally commissioned report released this week found that over 6,000 military aviation accidents have led to 224 pilot deaths or aircrew deaths since 2013.