BOISE, Idaho — Four Navy aviators are in stable condition after successfully ejecting from two military aircraft that collided during a weekend air show performance at Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, military officials confirmed Sunday.
The mid-air collision occurred between a pair of U.S. Navy EA18-G Growlers assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 stationed at Whidbey Island, Washington, according to Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Umayam confirmed in a statement that the aircraft were conducting an aerial demonstration when the incident occurred. All four aviators from both jets managed to eject safely, and military officials have launched an investigation into the crash.
Base personnel reported that the crew members are currently in stable condition following the incident.
No individuals on the ground at the military installation were injured during the crash, according to Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which assisted in organizing the air show.
“Everyone is safe and I think that’s the most important thing,” Sykes stated.
Military base officials announced on social media that the facility was immediately secured following the incident, and organizers canceled the remaining air show activities.
Spectator footage shared on social media captured four parachutes deploying as the aircraft descended toward the ground near the base, located approximately 50 miles south of Boise.
The EA-18G Growler represents a specialized version of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft equipped with advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
Witness Shane Ogden was recording the two aircraft as they performed their maneuver when the collision occurred. His footage shows the jets making contact before spinning together while crew members ejected and their parachutes deployed. The aircraft then fell in tandem, creating a large explosion upon ground impact as the aviators descended safely nearby.
“I was just filming thinking they were going to split apart and that happened and I filmed the rest,” Ogden explained in a text message. He departed shortly after the incident to avoid interfering with emergency response teams.
Event organizers described the well-attended air show, featuring flight demonstrations and parachute exhibitions, as both a tribute to aviation heritage and a showcase of contemporary military technology. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron served as the featured performers for both days of the event.
Weather conditions at the time included clear visibility with wind gusts reaching 29 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Aviation safety specialist John Cox, who serves as CEO of Safety Operating Systems, noted that air show performers represent elite pilots operating with minimal margin for error.
“Air show flying is demanding. It has very little tolerance,” Cox explained. “The people who do it are very good and it’s a small margin for error. I’m glad everybody was able to get out.”
This year’s Gunfighter Skies event marked the first air show at the facility since 2018, when a hang glider pilot was killed during a performance crash.
A previous incident in 2003 involved a Thunderbirds aircraft that crashed during a maneuver attempt. The uninjured pilot successfully directed the aircraft away from spectators and ejected moments before ground impact.
The air show community has focused on enhancing safety measures across approximately 200 annual events throughout the United States. The most recent fatal air show incident occurred in 2022 when two historic military aircraft collided during a Dallas event, resulting in six fatalities.
John Cudahy, president and CEO of the International Council of Air Shows, reported that historical averages showed about two annual deaths at U.S. air shows, but the past decade has seen that number drop to approximately one death per year. No air show fatalities occurred in 2024 or 2025, and no spectator has been killed at an air show since 1952.
“Safety wise we’ve enjoyed really an unprecedented term of few accidents,” Cudahy stated.
The survival of both aircraft crews may enable investigators to quickly determine the cause of Sunday’s collision, as the aviators will be able to provide firsthand accounts of their observations and experiences leading up to the incident.
Military conflicts have resulted in the cancellation of approximately 10 air shows this year at installations where units are deployed for combat operations. However, the majority of scheduled air shows have proceeded as planned.
