An F-16 fighter jet crashed into a warehouse while attempting to land at March Air Reserve Base in Southern California, an Air Force official confirmed late Thursday.
The pilot was not hurt and there were no immediate reports of injuries on the ground, said Maj. Perry Covington, director of public affairs at the base.
Interstate 215, which runs between the base and the warehouse, was closed in both directions, backing up rush-hour traffic for miles.
Television news footage showed a large hole in the roof and sprinklers on inside the building about 65 miles east of Los Angeles. The jet’s cockpit canopy was on a runway and a parachute had settled in a nearby field.
The F-16 was assigned to the Air National Guard, according to officials. One official told Fox News that the F-16 was one of the alert jets for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and was armed. It is not clear whether this was a routine test or a response to an active threat.
The base is home to the Air Force Reserve Command’s Fourth Air Force Headquarters and various units of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, California Air National Guard and California Army National Guard.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
