Seoul: Pilot error is believed to be the cause of a KF-16 fighter jet mishap during air exercises in Alaska earlier this week, as pilots mistakenly attempted to take off from the taxiway instead of the runway, the Air Force reported Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the incident occurred on Tuesday (U.S. time) when two pilots ejected from the twin-seat fighter jet during an emergency situation at Eielson Air Force Base. They were participating in the U.S.-led multinational Red Flag air exercise. Although the pilots escaped major injuries, the jet sustained partial damage due to a fire.

A preliminary investigation by the Air Force revealed that three KF-16 jets mistakenly entered the taxiway instead of the runway as they prepared for air combat drills. All four pilots from the three aircraft reported to investigators that they confused the taxiway for the runway.

An Air Force official explained, "The U.S. Air Force air traffic control tower instructed the second aircraft to cancel takeoff upon observing the first aircraft taking off from the taxiway, but the distance was insufficient ... prompting an emergency ejection." The aircraft subsequently caught fire as it skidded to a halt in the grass near the taxiway's end.

The fire led the two pilots of the second aircraft to eject, though the precise sequence of events remains under investigation. The cause of the fire is still undetermined. Since the accident was not attributed to mechanical failure, the Air Force announced the resumption of KF-16 training and operations.

The official stated, "The Air Force has decided to continue to participate in the Red Flag exercise. Operation of the (KF-16) aircraft will resume Friday," while expressing regret over the accident and committing to develop "effective" measures to prevent a recurrence.

Although the four pilots involved will no longer participate in the exercise, they will aid in the ongoing investigation. Initially, the Air Force had grounded all KF-16 fighter jets and dispatched a 20-member team to Alaska to investigate the incident and conduct emergency maintenance, in collaboration with the U.S. side.

For the current Red Flag exercise, South Korea dispatched 11 aircraft, including six KF-16 fighters and a KC-330 transport plane, along with approximately 100 airmen. The exercise, which began in 1975, aims to provide realistic training in a simulated combat environment, as stated by the U.S. military. South Korea has been participating with fighter jet deployments since 2013.

This accident occurred roughly three months after two South Korean KF-16 fighter jets mistakenly bombed a town just south of the inter-Korean border, injuring 66 people, including 40 civilians. The pilots had incorrectly entered target coordinates, resulting in the release of live bombs outside the designated training area, according to the Air Force.