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Pilot Survives Fighter Jet Crash During Training Mission Near Fresno

FRESNO (CBS/AP) -- A California Air National Guard fighter jet crashed during a routine training mission but the pilot safely ejected.

The Guard said the Fresno-based F-16C went down Thursday afternoon about 100 miles east of Fresno.

The pilot was transported to a local military facility for an evaluation.

Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Drudge didn't identify the pilot but said the pilot is a member of the Guard's 144th Fighter Wing based in Fresno.

He said the jet was flying between 12,000 and 15,000 feet when an in-flight emergency happened and the aircraft crashed in a remote area of Inyo County.

The cause was under investigation. No other details were immediately available.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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