Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers collided during an aerial demonstration Sunday at the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. All four crew members ejected from their aircraft and were being evaluated by medical personnel, although base officials reported all were in stable condition. The aircraft were assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington.
All four air crew members "successfully ejected" after two jets crashed in midair during an air show in Idaho, the Navy said in a statement Sunday, adding that the crew members were being "evaluated by medical personnel." https://t.co/XwGsSPvpdE pic.twitter.com/vWkAt2oSvF
— ABC News (@ABC) May 17, 2026
“We are incredibly thankful that everyone involved in today’s incident is safe,” Col. David R. Gunter, commander of the 366th Fighter Wing, said in a statement.
The base was locked down following the accident, and the remainder of the air show was canceled while emergency crews responded. Mountain Home Air Force Base said the accident occurred about two miles northwest of the base. The aircraft collided at about 12:10 p.m. local time.
Video from spectators showed four parachutes deploying after the collision before the aircraft descended and impacted terrain near the base. The accident remains under investigation.
Begs the question- why use two of the most expensive limited resources for a display? Nothing that couldn’t be done with bog-standard F/A-18Es, at less financial and human risk.
Wow. I just watched the U.S. national debt tick up by $134 million in that video clip.
I guess the Navy will be looking for 2 new pilots and 2 new WSO’s after the FNABs? Expensive pilot(s) error(s)?
Better to leave the quasi-airshow style military performing to the “professionals”, but I suppose booking the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels isn’t in the cards. Wingman lost visual on his lead, I guess, and probably thought he could salvage things rather than break off.
.I agree, to a point. The complexities of doing pseudo professional airshows necessitates intense training that relatively junior aviators do not have yet. Instead of ACM, if the TYCOM permits “non-professional” airshows for its squadrons, they need to establish and fund AAM (Advanced Airshow Maneuvering
) to keep everyone safe.
Unfortunately, Whidbey has had a rash of catastrophic crashes, some including fatalities (the CFIT mishap on one of the aircrew’s fini-flight).
God, please shine your Grace upon the Growler Community and Bless those that have perished!
