Spanish fighter jet crashes in Zaragoza, pilot survives
F-18 jet crashed within perimeter of air base
OVIEDO, Spain
A fighter jet crashed at an air base in the Spanish city of Zaragoza on Saturday morning.
The pilot successfully ejected before impact, avoiding life-threatening injuries, according to the Spanish air force.
The F-18 fighter jet crashed within the base’s perimeter, resulting in a large explosion that was captured on video.
The base is situated adjacent to the main Zaragoza airport.
The pilot was rehearsing for an upcoming air show and sustained multiple injuries during his parachute landing, local daily Heraldo reported.
There have been several accidents involving F-18 aircraft since 1988 in Spain. An engine failure caused another crash near Zaragoza, jets have collided mid-air, plummeted into the sea, and crashed into large birds.
The most recent accident occurred in 2017 when a fighter jet crashed during takeoff from the Torrejon de Ardoz base in Madrid.
