An Israeli F-16 is reported down in Northern Israel after an engine failure forced its pilot to bail out. The Israeli Air Force reports that the pilot survived and was picked up by ground forces shortly after the accident. The incident occurred during what was described as a "rare" snowstorm, Monday, and weather has been not been ruled out as a factor.

While the $50 million F-16 was a total loss, the pilot fared much batter, having been picked up by friendlies NorthWest of the West Bank, about six miles from the Palestinian town of Jenin. Some six IAF F-16s have been lost since September 1997, including the March 2000 crash of an F-16 over the Mediterranean, killing both the pilot and the navigator, Maj. Yonatan Begin, the grandson of the late Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. Israel bought 75 F-16s for $40 million each back in 1983 and added another 50 aircraft, for $50 million each, in 2000.

Additionally; an Israeli Army helo also suffered light damage, south of Tel Aviv, while executing an emergency landing, with no injuries to the pilot.

FMI: http://www.iaf.org.il