Hellenic Air Force F-16 belly lands at Zakynthos Airport, catches fire 

A Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jet performed an emergency landing at Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH) on July 9, 2026, touching down without its landing gear deployed before catching fire on the runway. The pilot escaped unharmed. 

According to a statement issued by the Hellenic Air Force General Staff, the aircraft, belonging to the 335 Squadron of the 116 Combat Wing, was taking part in a training flight when it carried out an emergency landing at Zakynthos Airport at 13:45 local time due to a malfunction.  

The pilot is in good health, and the causes of the incident are under investigation, the statement said. 

The jet had taken off from Araxos Air Base, home of the 116 Combat Wing, and was conducting a training flight over the wider Ionian Sea area when the pilot received a fire indication, according to Greek media reports. 

Αναγκαστική προσγείωση F-16 στο αεροδρόμιο της Ζακύνθου pic.twitter.com/pbceDCzXuD— Kathimerini_Web (@KathimeriniWeb) July 9, 2026 Pilot brings aircraft down without landing gear 

Because the landing gear failed to deploy, the pilot brought the aircraft down on its belly, sliding onto a layer of foam that firefighters had spread on the runway in advance. Footage circulating on social media shows the aircraft engulfed in flames as fire crews doused it.  

Zakynthos Airport will remain closed until the fighter jet is removed from the runway, a significant disruption at the height of the summer season for the popular Ionian island destination. 

The F-16 is the backbone of the Hellenic Air Force fighter fleet. The type has been involved in previous incidents in Greek service, including a crash at Andravida Air Base in November 2021, in which the pilot ejected safely. Greek F-16s have seen recently deployed to Cyprus in March 2026, following drone attacks on UK bases on the island.The post Hellenic Air Force F-16 belly lands at Zakynthos Airport, catches fire  appeared first on AeroTime.

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