Public Safety
Two Navy Fighter Jets Collide Midair During Idaho Air Show Forcing Safe Ejections
A dramatic midair collision involving two military fighter jets brought an abrupt end to the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday afternoon. The incident, which was captured on camera by numerous spectators, resulted in the successful ejection of all four crew members on board before the aircraft crashed and exploded on the ground.
The collision occurred shortly after noon during the second day of the event, marking the first time the base had hosted the air show in eight years. According to naval officials, the two aircraft involved were EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129, based out of Whidbey Island, Washington. The two jets were performing a close-range demonstration maneuver when they made contact and appeared to briefly lock together before plunging toward the earth.
Spectators watched as all four crew members, consisting of two pilots and two electronic warfare officers, deployed their parachutes and floated safely to the ground. Announcers at the air show quickly reassured the crowd that rescue teams had located all four aircrew members alive and in stable condition roughly one mile south of the crash site.
The impact of the jets triggered a fireball and a subsequent 25-acre wildfire just northwest of the base, sending massive plumes of black smoke into the sky. Emergency response teams and local firefighters arrived on the scene quickly and were able to contain the blaze with the help of passing rain showers. Debris from the destroyed aircraft also landed across State Highway 167, prompting temporary road closures outside the base.
Following the crash, Mountain Home Air Force Base was immediately placed on a temporary lockdown to allow emergency crews clear access to the scene. Ground events and static displays remained open to the public for a few hours, but all remaining aerial performances for the day were officially canceled. The precise cause of the midair contact remains unknown and is currently under a joint investigation by the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
May 17, 2026
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