The crew of an Israeli air force Lockheed Martin F-16D ("Barak") ejected from their aircraft on 2 January, seconds after its wheels had touched the runway at Ramat David air base. The pilot and navigator were transferred to a medical facility, but escaped injury, the service says.
The combat aircraft came to a halt immediately after reaching the end of the runway, and the damage is currently being examined.
Air force commander Maj Gen Amir Eshel has ordered all training flights involving the type to be stopped until the cause of the malfunction that prompted the pilots to bail out has become clear.
"At first glance, it seems the crew decided to abandon the aircraft after detecting a problem in the machine prior to landing," the air force says. "As a result of high speeds as the plane was landing, the crew suspected a risk of turnover that could risk their lives."
Source: Flight International
