F-16 North America Aviation Accidents and Incidents

Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashes during Michigan training; pilot ejects safely

An F-16 assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed in rural northern Michigan during a routine training exercise. The pilot safely ejected, while witnesses reported a large plume of black smoke and repeated explosions; authorities have not provided further details on the cause.

Discovered 2026-09-17T13:10:38.815725-07:00 | 2026-09-17T13:10:38.815725-07:00

Briefing

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The crash involved an F-16 from the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing during a routine training exercise, putting military flight operations and aircraft safety procedures in focus.
The pilot’s safe ejection limits the immediate human impact, while the investigation will determine whether the event points to an aircraft, maintenance, operational or training issue.
The incident occurred in rural northern Michigan, with witnesses reporting black smoke and repeated explosions, underscoring the potential community and emergency-response implications of military training flights.

Reported By

AeroTime lefigaro.fr The War Zone CNN The Independent Associated Press