DETROIT: A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed on Thursday, Sept. 17, during a normal training exercise in rural Michigan, sending a fireball and thick smoke into the sky as the pilot ejected safely and nearby residents were temporarily evacuated over a hazardous chemical spill.
The fighter jet went down in Grand Traverse County near Traverse City while taking part in training operations connected to a National Guard base in Alpena, about 190 miles north of Detroit, according to U.S. military officials
The pilot was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael D. Shea said the pilot was conscious and speaking with law enforcement at the hospital. Military officials did not immediately release the pilot’s identity or details about any injuries.
The crash sent witnesses rushing for safety as dark smoke rose above the area. Residents reported hearing a powerful blast, followed by explosions and seeing flames and debris scattered across a field. One witness, Nathan Smith, said he had been recording the fighter jet because it appeared to be flying unusually low and slowly. He said he heard a loud bang shortly after the aircraft disappeared from his video.
Another pilot reportedly told air traffic controllers that the aircraft may have struck a bird before going down. However, a military spokesman said he had not received information confirming a bird strike, and the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Emergency officials initially ordered people near the crash site to shelter indoors. Michigan State Police later evacuated residents within a one-mile radius after reporting a hazardous chemical spill connected to the wreckage. The evacuation order was lifted later Thursday evening.
The aircraft was one of several F-16s from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Authorities said no other injuries were reported. Investigators are now working to determine what caused the fighter jet to crash.
