Pilot safely ejects from crash of Texas Air National Guard F-16 in northern Michigan

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard crashed while taking part in training in Michigan. A formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons sits along the flightline during Operation Northern Cactus at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Mich., on Sept. 13, 2026. An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 149th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard crashed on Sept. 17, 2026, in Grand Traverse County, Mich., the unit confirmed. (Jonathan Rasco/U.S. Air Force) An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard crashed Thursday in Grand Traverse County, Mich., the unit confirmed. The fighter jet was “on a routine training mission from the Air National Guard’s Combat Readiness Training Center, in Alpena, when it experienced an incident earlier this afternoon,” the Texas Air National Guard said in a statement.

Another pilot who was flying along with the F-16 that crashed told air traffic controllers the aircraft may have hit a bird, according to a radio transmission to the airport’s tower obtained by CBS Detroit. The TV station posted the audio on its Facebook page Thursday, The Detroit News reported. “We may have a possible Mayday,” the pilot said. “My wingman, I believe, may have taken a bird. We are 634.” The pilot ejected safely, the wing said in