A pilot was forced to make an emergency landing yesterday after the cockpit canopy flew of an air force F-16V, and an investigation into the incident is moving in the direction of human negligence, according to a senior air force official.

The F-16 was one of four fighters to take off from Chiayi Air Force Base on a routine training mission at 7:29 am yesterday, August 11. However, shortly after the aircraft’s wheels left the tarmac, the cockpit canopy suddenly flew off.

The pilot remained calm and landed seven minutes later, after a quick turnaround flight guided by control tower personnel who witnessed the incident.

The canopy, which fell off at an estimated altitude of 300 feet, was recovered on the air base around 5,000 feet east of the runway.

A senior air force official said that the investigation was pointing towards human error, and the pilot involved has been grounded while the investigation continues, Apple Daily reported today, August 12.

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