A United States Air Force F‑16 fighter crashed near Spangdahlem Air Base in Rhineland‑Palatinate at about 2:30 p.m. local time (12:30 UTC) on Thursday, German authorities said [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). The pilot was able to eject from the aircraft and was subsequently taken to receive medical care [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). In a statement, base officials confirmed that the pilot “ejected safely and is receiving medical care” [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf).
Fire and emergency response teams from the Eifel district of Bitburg‑Prüm were dispatched to the scene, according to the district’s website [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). The district declined to comment further on the incident [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). The cause of the crash remains under investigation [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf).
Spangdahlem Air Base, a NATO operations center built in the early 1950s, hosts the U.S. Air Force’s 52nd Fighter Wing [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). The base’s F‑16 squadron comprises roughly 20 aircraft and is considered one of the most important U.S. airfields in Germany, alongside Ramstein Air Base near Kaiserslautern [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). Approximately 5,000 U.S. military and civilian personnel, plus their dependents, are stationed there, with an additional 700 to 800 German employees [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf). The base lies north of the city of Trier, not far west of the Luxembourg border [DW News](https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf).
The investigation into the crash will be conducted by appropriate military and aviation authorities, though no further details have been released at this time.
Sources
DW News – “Military aircraft crashes near US air base in Spangdahlem, Germany” (2026‑09‑22) https://www.dw.com/en/military-aircraft-crashes-near-us-air-base-in-spangdahlem-germany/a-79376025?maca=en-rss-en-world-4025-rdf
Source: DW News
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Story synopsis gathered from: DW News — source
