A U.S. Air Force pilot was killed in Jordan on Sunday when the F-16 he was flying crashed in a noncombat incident.
The plane was suffering maintenance issues after take off, and the pilot (whose name was not immediately released as per military policy) turned the plane around before crashing, said Pentagon spokesman Col. Steve Warren after the fatality.
The aircraft was headed for a combat mission in the Middle East, but the crash itself did not occur during combat, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.
Although he was not yet in combat, the death is considered to be associated with Operation Inherent Resolve, reported Fox News. The pilot was on his way to a U.S. base in the Middle East that supports aerial efforts against ISIS.
This was the third death related to this operation, according to Fox News. All three deaths were considered noncombat as well.
The remains of the pilot who died Sunday were found in the Gulf of Mexico.
