SAFFORD, Ariz. -- An F-16 fighter jet crashed in southeastern Arizona Tuesday afternoon, Arizona Air National Guard officials said. The pilot was killed, according to the Graham County Sheriff's Office.

The crash occurred about 20 miles northwest of Safford, Arizona, the officials said. Safford is about 165 miles southeast of Phoenix.

The Fighting Falcon was assigned to the Arizona Guard's 162nd Wing. The unit is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard's lead F-16 pilot training unit.

The Air Force activated a team to investigate the crash, which was the second involving an F-16 Fighting Falcon flying from the 162nd Wing and the third F-16 crash in Arizona since mid-2015.

The 162nd Wing tweeted first word of the crash: </s> An F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed near Safford Tuesday afternoon, according to the Arizona Air National Guard.

National Guard officials said the pilot's status is not yet known, but rescue efforts are underway. The Eastern Arizona Courier reported that the pilot had died, according to the Graham County Sheriff's Office, but the sheriff's office has not responded to 12 News' requests for information.

The aircraft is based out of the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing, and the crash site is about 20 miles northwest of Safford. The 162nd Wing is based at Tucson International Airport. </s> An F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed near Safford Tuesday afternoon, according to the Arizona Air National Guard.

National Guard officials said the pilot's status is not yet known, but rescue efforts are underway.

The aircraft is based out of the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing, and the crash site is about 20 miles northwest of Safford. The 162nd Wing is based at Tucson International Airport. </s> SAFFORD, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona Air National Guard officials say an F-16 fighter has crashed in southeastern Arizona but the fate of the pilot isn't yet known.

The crash happened at mid-afternoon Tuesday about 20 miles northwest of Safford. A Guard news release says rescue efforts are underway.

The Fighting Falcon was assigned to the Arizona Guard's 162nd Wing. The unit is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard's lead F-16 pilot training unit.

The U.S. Air force has activated a team to investigate the crash.

This article was from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com. </s> Arizona Air National Guard officials say an F-16 fighter has crashed in southeastern Arizona but the fate of the pilot isn't yet known.

The crash happened at mid-afternoon Tuesday about 20 miles northwest of Safford. A Guard news release says rescue efforts are underway.

The Fighting Falcon was assigned to the Arizona Guard's 162nd Wing. The unit is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard's lead F-16 pilot training unit.

The U.S. Air force has activated a team to investigate the crash. </s> The Arizona Air National Guard has confirmed an F-16 based out of the 162nd Wing crashed in southeast Arizona. However, officials said they could not confirm the status of the pilot.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Safford at 3:00pm on Tuesday, according to a Guard news release.

“The Air Force has assembled an interim safety board to investigate the incident and additional details will be provided as soon as they become available,” the 162nd Wing said in a statement Tuesday.

The National Guard said that rescue efforts are under way, adding that the status of the pilot is “unknown at this time.”

However, the Eastern Arizona Courier reported that Graham County Sheriff PJ Allred confirmed the pilot died as a result of the crash.

“All I can say is we do have a crash, and it appears to be an Air Force jet,” Allred said. “We’re waiting on the inspectors from Davis-Monthan (Air Force Base, in Tucson) to come out.”

RT America reached out to the Graham County Sheriff’s office, which is located in Safford, Arizona, but they said they could not comment on the status of the pilot until tomorrow.

The Fighting Falcon unit is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard’s lead F-16 pilot training unit. </s> A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 162nd Fighter Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, prepares to refuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker on July 21, 2017.

SAFFORD, Ariz. — Arizona Air National Guard officials say an F-16 fighter has crashed in southeastern Arizona but the fate of the pilot isn't yet known.

The crash happened at mid-afternoon Tuesday about 20 miles northwest of Safford. A Guard news release says rescue efforts are underway.

The Fighting Falcon was assigned to the Arizona Guard's 162nd Wing. The unit is based at Tucson International Airport and serves as the Air National Guard's lead F-16 pilot training unit.

The U.S. Air force has activated a team to investigate the crash. </s> iStock/Thinkstock(PHOENIX) — An F-16 fighter jet with the Arizona Air National Guard crashed Tuesday afternoon in southeastern Arizona, officials said.

“Rescue efforts are underway and the status of the pilot is unknown at this time,” read a statement on the Facebook page of the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing, of which the F-16 Fighting Falcon is based out of.

The crash happened at 3 p.m. about 20 miles northwest of Safford, Arizona.

The U.S. Air Force has assembled an interim safety board to investigate the incident. </s> An F-16 Fighting Falcon, from the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing. (Source: Arizona Air National Guard)

Officials said the pilot's status is unknown.

The plane is based out of the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Wing.

The Arizona Air National Guard said rescue efforts are ongoing.

The unit is based in Tucson and flies out of TIA.

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An Arizona Air National Guard F-16 crashes near Safford, Arizona, killing the pilot.