An F-16 pilot ejected safely before a fighter jet crashed in rural Michigan, causing plumes of smoke and temporary evacuations due to hazardous chemicals spilled from the wreckage. The pilot, whose identity remains undisclosed in compliance with military policy, received medical treatment at a local hospital and was reported as conscious by Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael D. Shea.
The incident occurred during training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena, approximately 305 kilometers north of Detroit. Witnesses, including Nathan Smith and Wendy Sobeck, described hearing a loud crash and seeing billowing black smoke and fireball in the field near residential areas.
Emergency officials initially advised sheltering in place but later evacuated residents within a 1.6-kilometer radius due to a hazardous chemical spill linked to the crash. The exact nature of the spill was not disclosed, but F-16 jets utilize hydrazine, a toxic component in emergency power unit fuel. The evacuation order was lifted by Thursday evening, allowing residents to return home.
The crashed F-16 was part of a group from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, participating in the Michigan training exercises. The Air Force Safety Center has recorded 14 “Class A mishaps” involving F-16s since 2000, denoting incidents with significant damage exceeding $2 million, aircraft destruction, or service member fatalities. In a similar event in December, an F-16C Fighting Falcon from the Thunderbirds demonstration squadron crashed in the Southern California desert, with the pilot successfully ejecting.