Thursday’s crash was the 14th “Class A mishap”—a technical term denoting the loss of an aircraft—involving the F-16 Fighting Falcon since 2000.

A Texas Air National Guard pilot is safe following a crash of an F-16 Fighting Falcon in Michigan on Thursday afternoon.

The aircraft, assigned to the 194th Fighter Wing from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, crashed near Traverse City, around 190 miles north of Detroit, during a training flight originating from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center (ACRTC). The pilot was able to eject from the single-seat, single-engine fighter and is now receiving medical treatment.

“The pilot successfully ejected the aircraft and is receiving care at a nearby hospital,” the Department of the Air Force announced on Thursday evening. “Emergency responders are on-site. The incident is under investigation.”

Another pilot, who was leading the training exercise, told air traffic controllers that his wingman had hit a bird, stating, “We have a possible Mayday. My wingman I believe may have taken a bird.”

The crash prompted an evacuation of the surrounding area due to a chemical spill tied to the aircraft. Residents within one mile were initially told to shelter in place and to close their windows and doors, but Michigan State Police later ordered those near the site to evacuate.

Why Are Texas Pilots Training in the Wolverine State?

Aircraft from the 149th Fighter Wing, known as “The Lone Star Gunfighters,” deployed student and instructor pilots to Michigan to take part in “Operation Northern Cactus,” a training exercise at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Michigan. The annual deployment is meant to train pilots in austere environments and large airspace range complexes.

It is the northern variation of the 149th FW’s long-running annual “Coronet Cactus” deployment to Arizona.

“Northern Cactus demonstrates the 149th Fighter Wing’s ability to move forces, establish operations and sustain mission requirements from a location outside its normal operating environment,” the wing announced on Monday, when it released photos of its aviators at the facility in Michigan.

The Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center is used year-round by the US military, as it offers the largest training airspace east of the Mississippi River. Approximately 147,000 acres designated for ground maneuver training.

As one of only four Combat Readiness Training Centers in the country, the base is certified as a Joint National Training Center, and it trains more than 20,000 joint, coalition, and emergency response personnel per year. It offers Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC) training, features a JTAC dome simulator, and hosts major joint exercises including the annual Northern Strike drills.

Yet Another “Class A Mishap” for the Air Force

Thursday’s crash is the latest US military aviation mishap to occur this year. It follows the crash of a US Marine Corps F-35 in California in late July, and a US Army Apache helicopter that went down in Texas in August. A Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet was also lost during a training accident in June.

There have also been at least 14 “Class A mishaps” involving the F-16 Fighting Falcon since 2000, the Associated Press reported, citing data from the Air Force Safety Center.

“The Class A mishap designation is generally used when the damage totals more than $2 million, when an aircraft is destroyed or when a service member is killed,” the news service explained. The most recent incident involving an F-16 occurred last December when an F-16C that was being flown by a member of the famed US Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team crashed during a training flight in Southern California. That pilot was able to eject.

Bird strikes and mechanical issues are unavoidable, but the timing of Thursday’s crash is noteworthy—as it came just hours after the Department of Defense announced in a post on X, “The flyovers will continue until morale improves.”

That was the latest in a series of posts from the Pentagon or Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with essentially the same message—seemingly encouraging military pilots to conduct visually impressive flyovers without fear of consequences, even if they disregard customary military protocol. This should be a reminder that flyovers need to be conducted as safely as possible.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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