F-16 Destroyed in Fiery Crash in Michigan After ‘Mishap’

Sarah RumpfSep 17th, 2026, 7:00 pm
 
F-16 crash in Michigan

Screenshots via X.

An F-16 pilot with the Texas Air National Guard experienced a “mishap” Thursday, resulting in the fighter jet being destroyed in a fiery crash, but the pilot was thankfully able to safely eject beforehand.

The crash happened in a field in Grand Traverse County, Michigan during a training exercise, according to a report by CNN.

The pilot is with the 149th Fighter Wing at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and was participating in training exercises from a National Guard base in Alpena, Michigan, Fox News Digital reported.

Audio transmissions reported by LiveATC.net showed another pilot alerting air traffic control, “We have a possible mayday by wingman. I believe [they] may have taken a bird.”

An air traffic controller commented that they had observed “a lot of black smoke, which we believe is the ejected F-16,” and added that it appeared the F-16 pilot “may have lost an engine and ejected.” The transmission also confirmed the pilot was the only one on the plane.

Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, a public affairs specialist with the 149th Fighter Wing, confirmed that the pilot had ejected and told the AP he was being treated at a local hospital and was in stable condition.

Thus far, military officials have attributed the cause of the crash to a “mishap,” or because the plane “experienced an incident,” without offering further specifics. An official statement released by the Texas Air National Guard shortly before publication said the pilot was “safe” and had “successfully ejected from the aircraft,” adding that the “incident” was “under investigation” and “[a]dditional information to be released as it becomes available.”

Local news outlets reported that the pilot was “reportedly conscious and alert” after the crash, and included interviews from eyewitnesses saying they had seen him eject and parachute to the ground. Witnesses also reported hearing multiple explosions in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

Area residents within a one-mile radius of the crash site have been ordered to evacuate by the county emergency management, but officials have not identified the specific hazardous substance or other reason why.

Michigan State Police have confirmed no other injuries, reported ABC News. The other Texas Air National Guard pilots who are in Michigan for the training exercises were grounded immediately after the crash, and a military official told ABC News that would likely continue for at least 24 hours.

Below are several social media posts sharing photos and videos of the crash and aftermath.

—

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!

Tags:
Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf is an attorney and Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. She joined Mediaite in 2020. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.