An F-16 fighter jet from Texas crashed in rural Michigan during a routine training exercise on Thursday, and the pilot ejected safely. A military spokesman said the pilot was receiving medical treatment at a local hospital after the crash in Blair Township.
Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, a public affairs specialist with the 149th Fighter Wing, said the plane was participating in training exercises at a National Guard base in Alpena, Michigan.
Gutierrez declined to release details about the pilot’s identity or any injuries, citing military policy.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud crash, and images posted to social media showed a dark plume of smoke in the air.
Wendy Sobeck said she and her husband heard a “very loud crash” down the road, minutes from their rural home.
“We thought there was a car accident outside our house. We saw big billowing black smoke. We couldn’t tell what it was, so my husband got into his pickup truck and saw what happened,” Sobeck said. “You could see the plane debris in the field. Explosions kept happening.”
