Two Navy jets collided and crashed during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, but all four crew members miraculously ejected safely and are in stable condition. The air show was canceled, and experts suggest the unique collision might have aided their survival.
During an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, two Navy EA-18G Growler jets collided and crashed, but all four crew members successfully ejected and are reported to be in stable condition. No injuries were reported on the military base, and the remainder of the air show was immediately canceled. Spectator videos captured the dramatic event, showing parachutes deploying as the aircraft plummeted and exploded upon impact. Aviation safety experts Jeff Guzzetti and John Cox noted the remarkable survival, suggesting the unique way the planes collided and remained momentarily intact might have provided the crucial time for ejection, and that it likely points to a 'pilot issue' rather than a mechanical malfunction. This incident marks the first air show at the base since a fatal hang glider crash in 2018, though the air show industry has significantly improved safety over recent decades, with a decreasing number of fatalities and no spectator deaths in the U.S. since 1952. The Navy will lead the investigation, benefiting from the surviving crew members' accounts.
