WASHINGTON, July 2 — A US Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft crashed during a training mission in South Carolina, killing the pilot, the Pentagon said yesterday.

The plane went down about 11.30pm Tuesday (0330 GMT yesterday) at Shaw Air Force Base, about 160 kilometres north of Charleston, the base said in a statement.

It said the pilot was on a training mission when the crash occurred. No information was given on the cause.

It was the fourth serious air force accident in less than two months.

On June 15, an air force pilot based in Britain was killed when his F-15 crashed in the North Sea during a routine training mission.

On May 19, an F-35A stealth fighter crashed on landing after a night flight at Eglin Air Force base in Florida. The pilot ejected.

On May 15, an F-22 stealth fighter crashed about 10 miles from Eglin during a test flight. The pilot ejected from the aircraft and was listed in stable condition after being rescued. — AFP