An F-16 fighter jet crashed during training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena, Michigan, on Thursday, resulting in a fireball and the evacuation of nearby residents. The pilot safely ejected before crashing and was conscious while receiving medical treatment; another pilot reported suspecting that his wingman had struck a bird before the crash. Local authorities evacuated a one-mile radius around the crash site due to a hazardous chemical spill, though details about the nature of the chemicals are not yet clear.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On Thursday, an F-16 fighter jet from the 149th Fighter Wing based at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, crashed near County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. The pilot ejected safely before impact and is currently receiving medical treatment; he is awake and alert. No injuries to civilians were reported, but emergency management officials issued a shelter-in-place order followed by an evacuation of those within one mile of the crash site due to a hazardous chemical spill.
The jet was participating in a routine training exercise at Alpena’s National Guard Base when the incident occurred. Witnesses described hearing a loud impact and seeing smoke rising from the crash area. Smoke from the scene could be seen as far as County Road 633 near Jefferson Place, prompting local authorities to close traffic around the site.
The Texas Military Department is investigating the cause of the crash. Authorities urged residents in the affected area to follow instructions from emergency personnel for their safety.
Written for “F-16 Crash In Michigan” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 13 other(s) covering the same event.
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
A plane burst into a ball of fire after crash landing in a field in Michigan, as the pilot was rushed to hospital and local residents were evacuated from the area.
asserted
residents → see → area
An F-16 plane came down on Thursday during training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena, around 190 miles from Detroit, injuring the pilot and sending plumes of smoke into the air.
asserted
plane → come → air
The pilot was conscious and talking to law enforcement while receiving medical treatment at a local hospital, Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea and Sergeant Derek Gutierrez of the 149th Fighter Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, said.
asserted
Shea → talk → Lackland
Gutierrez declined to reveal information on the identity of the pilot, citing military policy.
asserted
Gutierrez → decline → policy
The jet was one of several F-16 aircraft from the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, taking part in the Michigan training exercises, he added.
asserted
he → take → exercises
Another pilot told air traffic controllers that he believes that his wingman had hit a bird and crashed, audio footage from LiveATC showed.
asserted
footage → tell → LiveATC
'We have a possible Mayday.
asserted
We → have → Mayday
My wingman I believe may have taken a bird,' the pilot said.
uncertain
pilot → believe → bird
The controller offered to direct him to a nearby airport in Frankfort or Traverse City, but the pilot said his wingman had already crashed.
asserted
wingman → offer → Frankfort
The pilot safely ejected before the fighter jet hit the ground.
asserted
jet → eject → ground
An F-16 plane (pictured in a stock image) came down on Thursday during training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena injuring the pilot and sending smoke in the air
The pilot ejected and was conscious and talking to law enforcement while receiving medical treatment at a local hospital.
asserted
pilot → picture → hospital
Another pilot told air traffic controllers that he believes that his wingman had hit a bird and crashed
Gutierrez said he was not made aware of a possible bird strike, but added that the crash remains under investigation.
asserted
crash → tell → investigation
'Once we get some more information and it’s approved, we can release it to you,' he said.
asserted
he → get → you
Nathan Smith, a nearby construction worker, said he began to record the jet as it passed him.
asserted
it → say → him
'It was strange to see a jet flying that low and slow,' Smith said.
asserted
Smith → see → ?
'A few seconds after the video cuts, I heard a loud bang, which I believe now to be the pilot ejecting, but I didn’t think of that at the time.'
asserted
I → hear → time
The crash prompted an evacuation of nearby residents, as Michigan State Police said on X that 'due to a hazardous chemical spill' related to the plane crash 'all business and residential properties within a one-mile radius of County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road are being evacuated.'
Nearby residents were directed to shelter in place before state police evacuated locals.
asserted
police → prompt → locals
The nature of the spill remains unclear, but F-16 jets use hydrazine, a toxic chemical, as a component of emergency power unit fuel.
uncertain
jets → remain → fuel
Wendy Sobeck said she and her husband heard a 'very loud crash' just minutes from their home.
asserted
she → say → home
'We thought there was a car accident outside our house.
asserted
We → think → house
We saw big billowing black smoke.
asserted
We → see → smoke
We couldn’t tell what it was, so my husband got into his pickup truck and saw what happened,' Sobeck said.
asserted
Sobeck → tell → truck
Michigan State Police said that 'due to a hazardous chemical spill' related to the plane crash all business and residential properties within a one-mile radius...are being evacuated'
asserted
properties → say → radius
'You could see the plane debris in the field.
uncertain
You → see → field
Explosions kept happening.'
asserted
Explosions → keep → ?
Fred Sobeck, 65, said he drove down the road and saw a 'big fireball in the field' near a house and a camper, which were not hit.
asserted
which → say → house
'Police told me to get out of there because of explosions,' he said.
asserted
he → tell → explosions
Shellie Doornbos and her husband told CNN that she and her husband were driving home when they saw the plane on fire.
asserted
plane → tell → fire
'We could hear explosions coming from the fire and asked a police officer what it was we were hearing as we were driving away, and he told us it was a fighter jet crash and the explosions were ammunition,' she said.
uncertain
she → hear → us
Police lifted the evacuation order just before 10pm.
asserted
Police → lift → pm
The Daily Mail reached out to the Alpena National Guard base and Michigan State Police for comment.
asserted
Mail → reach → comment
The Aporia
