BLAIR TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A Michigan F-16 crash destroyed a Texas Air National Guard Fighting Falcon in Grand Traverse County. The crash occurred on Sept. 17, 2026, moments after the pilot’s wingman radioed that the jet may have struck a bird.
The pilot, assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing out of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, ejected safely and parachuted to the ground. Responders took him to a local hospital, where officials described him as conscious and alert. Notably, no residents on the ground suffered injuries.
Air traffic control audio captured by LiveATC.net and reported by CNN, the Associated Press, and The Aviationist recorded the moment. The pilot’s wingman, flying under the callsign “Buck 11,” alerted Minneapolis Center. “We have a possible mayday by wingman, I believe may have taken a bird,” he radioed. Buck 11 then told controllers the jet had lost an engine. Moments later, he warned that ejection was imminent. The aircraft went down near the intersection of County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road.
What Caused the Michigan F-16 Crash?
The two F-16s were flying a visual low-level training route out of Alpena’s Combat Readiness Training Center. That mission, called Operation Northern Cactus, tested the wing’s ability to deploy and operate from a temporary location. Additionally, the 149th Fighter Wing has confirmed the mishap and said the cause remains under Air Force investigation.
A wing spokesperson, Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, told the Associated Press he had not personally heard confirmation of a bird strike. As of Thursday evening, the cause remained unofficial. The suspected cause so far rests on the wingman’s real-time radio account rather than an official finding. However, that pattern is typical. Single-engine fighter losses are often attributed in the hours after a mishap, before flight data and wreckage analysis are complete.
Hydrazine Spill Forced Evacuations
Meanwhile, the crash also triggered a hazardous-materials response distinct from the bird-strike question. The F-16 carries hydrazine, a highly toxic monopropellant used to power its Emergency Power Unit if the main engine fails. Michigan State Police ordered an evacuation within a one-mile radius that afternoon, citing a “hazardous chemical spill.” The department lifted the order around 9:45 p.m. the same day.
Munson Medical Center evaluated roughly 30 people, including several first responders, for possible hydrazine exposure. Six remained overnight for monitoring. Hospital staff released them in stable condition the next day, according to CNN and Yahoo News/Military Times. Consequently, the Guard grounded all its Texas aircraft involved in the training pending the investigation, an official told ABC News.
A More Severe Outcome Than Recent Precautionary Landings
If confirmed, the loss would rank among the more severe outcomes FODNews tracks in its coverage of military bird strikes. It would mark a total hull loss rather than a precautionary landing. That outcome has dominated recent coverage. It includes a Japanese F-15’s emergency landing at Naha Air Base after a suspected bird ingestion last month. That Naha incident ended with the aircraft landing safely and the runway reopening within hours. By contrast, Thursday’s Michigan mishap destroyed a fighter jet and forced a multi-hour hazmat evacuation of a residential area.
The Air Force has not released a timeline for its investigation. Ultimately, FODNews will update this story once officials confirm the cause.
Sources
- CNN. “Military F-16 fighter jet crashes and bursts into flames in Michigan during training exercise” (Sept. 18, 2026)
- Associated Press via WXYZ. “Military: F-16 crashes during training in northern Michigan; pilot ejects safely” (Sept. 17, 2026)
- Yahoo News / Military Times. “Pilot ejects as F-16 crashes in Michigan, responders treated for chemical exposure” (Sept. 18, 2026)
- Stars and Stripes. “Pilot safely ejects from crash of Texas Air National Guard F-16” (Sept. 17, 2026)
- ABC News. “Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashes in Michigan” (Sept. 18, 2026)
- The Aviationist. “F-16 Crashes in Northern Michigan, Pilot in Stable Condition After Ejecting” (Sept. 17, 2026)
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