F-22 on training mission crashes near Eglin Air Force Base

PENSACOLA, Fla. – A F-22 fighter plane crashed during a routine training flight Friday morning and the pilot safely ejected from the aircraft, Eglin Air Force Base officials said.

The jet was part of the 325th Fighter Wing at the base, which is located east of Pensacola in Florida's Panhandle. It was about 12 miles (19 kilometers) northeast of the base when it crashed, the Air Force said in news release.

The pilot has been taken to the 96th Medical Group hospital on the base for evaluation and observation, the release said. He was reported to be in stable condition. The pilot's name was not immediately.

No one else was on the air craft, officials said.

First responders from 96th Test Wing are on the scene, and an investigation is continuing.