A military fighter jet crashed Wednesday night near Douglas, Arizona, killing the pilot and causing a brush fire.

Officials say that an F-16 from the 162nd Fighter Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard crashed around 8 p.m. near Arizona's border with New Mexico during a night training mission. As a result, the crash sparked a brush fire that was burning next to a high-pressure gas line, about five miles east of Douglas Municipal Airport, said Cochise County spokeswoman Carol Capas, according to KHPO. The fire was extinguished by Thursday morning.

Two U.S. military officials told NBC News identified the unnamed pilot as an Iraqi trainee. Officials also said that the pilot, who was at a very advanced stage in his training, was refueling when the fighter jet crashed. He was the only person on board during the incident.

A spokesman for the Iraqi defense minister confirmed that the Iraqi pilot had been training in the United States for four years was flying an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, which was owned by the Iraqi Air Force.

According to Brig. Gen. Tahseen Ibrahim, the ministry spokesman, the Iraqi government has not been informed of the cause of the accident, reports AZ Central.

A witness named Raymond Candell told Tucson News Now that he saw the crash and fireball explosions that lit up the night sky like daylight. He then called 911 to report the incident.

Officials said that a board will be appointed to investigate the crash.

KHPO reported that the 162nd Fighter Wing, the largest Air National Guard fighter wing in the U.S., operates out of Tucson International Airport, and has been training pilots for the last four decades. "It has three flying squadrons of more than 170 F-16 planes," reports KHPO.