A severe mid-air accident occurred during an air show in the northwestern US state of Idaho. On Sunday, May 17, 2026, at approximately 12:30 PM local time, two modern US Navy EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft collided while performing maneuvers at the ‘Gunfighter Skies Air Show’, hosted at Mountain Home Air Force Base. According to eyewitnesses, the two aircraft were flying a close formation at a relatively low altitude and slower speed when they lost balance and clipped one another. The collision triggered a loud explosion in the sky, instantly shattering parts of the aircraft. Following the harrowing incident, military officials placed the airbase on immediate lockdown and canceled all remaining schedules of the two-day event, which was being held after an eight-year hiatus.
Videos circulating on social media captured the terrifying moment the two fighter jets turned into balls of fire and plummeted toward the ground. Fortunately, just moments before the aircraft crashed and burst into flames, all four crew members (the pilots and co-pilots from both jets) utilized their training to successfully eject at an incredibly low altitude. The crowd of thousands of spectators breathed a sigh of relief as four parachutes deployed in the sky. The US Navy’s Pacific Fleet officially confirmed that all four military personnel landed safely roughly two miles from the airbase and are in stable condition. Additionally, no injuries were reported among the spectators or civilians on the ground.
The two aircraft involved in the crash belonged to the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 based in Washington, with each unit valued at approximately $67 million. Aviation experts and former ‘Top Gun’ instructors noted that the margin for a successful ejection at such a low altitude is exceptionally narrow, making the survival of all four crew members nothing short of a miracle. Notably, a hang-glider pilot tragically lost their life during the 2018 iteration of the same show, and this latest accident raises serious questions regarding safety protocols. Air Force and Navy investigation teams are currently analyzing the flight data recorders (black boxes) and wreckage to determine the exact technical cause of the collision.
