US Air Force Thunderbird F-16C crashes near Trona in California desert during training; pilot ejects safely as investigation begins. Photo: X.
A US Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon belonging to the elite Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in the Southern California desert on Wednesday morning, the military confirmed, according to the reports. The aircraft went down at around 10:45 a.m. (US time) during a routine training mission “over controlled airspace in California,” according to a statement from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Local emergency crews reported responding to an “aircraft emergency” near Trona, an unincorporated community in the Mojave Desert located about 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Los Angeles.
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The Air Force said the jet crashed on a dry lake bed south of Trona Airport, clarifying that the F-16 was not attempting to land at the facility. Emergency responders noted that the aircraft “struck a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert near Trona, Calif., creating a plume of smoke and a boom that could be heard in the surrounding area.”
A video shared widely on social media appeared to show the final seconds of the flight, with the jet consumed by flames moments before the pilot’s parachute deployed overhead.
The US Air Force confirmed that the pilot safely ejected from the fighter jet.
“The pilot was in stable condition and was receiving medical care,” Staff Sgt. Jovante Johnson said in an emailed statement, adding that further updates would be issued once assessments were completed.
Initial indications suggest the pilot avoided serious injury, an outcome not always assured during high-speed ejections.
The crash occurred in the same region where, in 2022, a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet went down near Trona, killing its pilot.
The Air Force said Wednesday’s incident remains under investigation. Additional information will be released by the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office.
Like the Navy’s Blue Angels, the Air Force Thunderbirds are known for flying tight formations at air shows across the country. Pilots often train to maneuver their aircraft within inches of one another. The Air Force statement did not provide details about what led to Wednesday’s crash.
Both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds have recorded several crashes throughout their decades of operation.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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