DefenseUSAF Thunderbirds F-16C crashes during California training, pilot ejects safely
A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the Thunderbirds demonstration team crashed during a training mission near Trona, California, on December 3. The pilot ejected and survived without life-threatening injuries.
The aircraft was conducting a scheduled training flight in controlled airspace when the incident occurred. The sortie originated from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where the Thunderbirds are based.
Images from the scene showed wreckage in the desert and the pilot deploying a parachute after ejection. The Air Force said that the jet was in a training mission over controlled airspace in California.
“The pilot is in stable condition and receiving follow-on care,” said the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by Air Force authorities. No further details about contributing factors have been released.
The Thunderbirds, formed in 1953, demonstrate precision formation flying at air shows worldwide as the U.S. Air Force’s official aerial demonstration unit.
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