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Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashes during training in Michigan; pilot ejects safely
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An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Texas Air National Guard's 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a routine training mission at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan on September 17. The sole pilot ejected safely and is in stable condition at a local hospital, with no other injuries reported. The aircraft was participating in Operation Northern Cactus, a deployment training exercise for an austere environment. According to audio from LiveATC, the pilot's wingman reported a possible bird strike before the pilot ejected. A large plume of black smoke was seen, and buildings within a one-mile radius were evacuated due to a hazardous chemical spill. The crash is under investigation by the wing.
Source report
Sept. 17, 2026 — An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter’s sole pilot ejected safely.
According to a social media post from the Michigan State Police, the pilot is in stable condition at a local hospital, and there are no other known injuries related to the crash.
Incident Details
In a statement, the wing said the aircraft was conducting a “routine training mission” in the afternoon at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, a Michigan Air National Guard facility in the northern part of the state near Traverse City. The F-16 is based at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
The 149th is participating in an exercise called “Operation Northern Cactus” as part of training for deployment to an “austere environment,” according to information the wing released earlier this week.
The wing said the crash is under investigation.
Possible Bird Strike
Audio recorded by the website LiveATC indicates that the stricken F-16’s wingman told air traffic control that the crashed aircraft may have suffered a bird strike. The wingman said the pilot planned to bail out of the fighter before ultimately ejecting. The audio indicates the two planes were flying together on the mission under the call sign BUCK 11 flight.
Aftermath
Video posted to social media showed a large plume of black smoke rising from the area. Buildings within a one-mile radius of the crash were evacuated due to a “hazardous chemical spill,” according to the State Police.
The audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org
Source
Air & Space Forces MagazineWestern
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Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashes in Michigan; pilot ejects safely after possible bird strike