An F-16 fighter jet's fuel tank fell from the plane and landed in a residential neighborhood outside of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, not far from an elementary school.
Military.com reported that the incident occurred around 11 a.m. local time on Tuesday in Niceville, Florida, "within close proximity" to the military base. There were no reported injuries as a result of the fuel tank's plunge from the sky.
The Fighting Falcon's fuel tank landed in someone's yard after missing cars, people and homes on its way down, according to Mid Bay News.
"Only by the grace of God, it landed between two houses," Niceville City Manager David Deitch told the local digital outlet.
Mid Bay News published multiple images of Air Force officers and security investigating the incident in the residential area, as well as images of the fuel tank lying on the ground.
The area where the dislodged fuel tank landed is approximately 600 meters from Edge Elementary School. In an emailed statement to Military.com, the Okaloosa County School District said that students were not in the building at the time the incident occurred, but were scheduled to return on Wednesday.
"Our district is aware of the current situation and is in close communication with Okaloosa County Emergency Management to ensure a smooth and safe return for students tomorrow," Catherine Card, an Okaloosa County Schools spokesperson, told Military.com.
A similar incident occurred in July in Michigan when an F-16 from the Ohio National Guard declared an emergency and dropped a fuel tank, according to an Iosco County Sheriff's Office Facebook post. One part landed in Lake Huron and exploded and the other part landed in a shopping center parking lot where it caused minor damage to some vehicles.
Retired Col. J.F. Joseph, who is now an aviation consultant, told Military.com Tuesday that most of the time when an item such as a fuel tank, refueling hose or panel falls off a military aircraft, which he said has happened in the past, it's unexpected.
"It's not something that somebody really probably had any control over," Joseph said. "It's one thing if somebody's jettisoning their stores, trying to get rid of weight ... but if they inadvertently fall out for whatever reason, there's simply not much you can do."
The incident is currently under investigation.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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