An F-16 fighter jet crashed in rural Michigan, with the pilot safely ejecting before the incident. The crash caused smoke plumes and led to evacuations due to hazardous chemical spills. The pilot, whose identity and injuries were not disclosed, received medical treatment at a local hospital.
The Grand Traverse County Sheriff confirmed that the conscious pilot was cooperating with law enforcement at the hospital. The aircraft, which was part of training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena, was observed flying unusually low and slow before the crash.
Witnesses described hearing a loud crash and seeing billowing smoke, with explosions occurring near the crash site. Emergency responders initially advised residents to shelter in place but later evacuated people within a 1.6-kilometer radius due to a hazardous chemical spill linked to the crash.
The evacuation order was eventually lifted, allowing residents to return home. The F-16 belonged to a group of aircraft from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, participating in the Michigan training drills. F-16 jets have been in service since 1979, with several incidents classified as “Class A mishaps” over the years, involving significant damage or fatalities.
In a similar incident in December, an F-16C Fighting Falcon belonging to the Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in Southern California, with the pilot also safely ejecting.