An F-16 fighter jet has crashed in Grand Traverse County, Michigan
A Texas Air National Guard F-16 fighter aircraft has crashed in rural Michigan during a routine training exercise on Thursday after the pilot successfully ejected.
149th Fighter Wing public affairs officer Sgt. Derek Gutierrez confirmed the pilot was admitted to a local hospital for medical assessment, but declined to release further details concerning identity or physical condition, citing military protocol.
The aircraft was participating in training drills based out of a National Guard site in Alpena, roughly 190 miles (305 kilometres) north of Detroit.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a severe impact, with social media photos illustrating a thick column of dark smoke rising from the crash site.
Wendy Sobeck said she and her husband heard a “very loud crash” down the road, minutes from their rural home.
“We thought there was a car accident outside our house. We saw big billowing black smoke. We couldn’t tell what it was, so my husband got into his pickup truck and saw what happened,” Sobeck said. “You could see the plane debris in the field. Explosions kept happening.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login