A Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday during a routine training mission out of the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center. The pilot ejected safely and was taken to hospital in stable condition, while emergency crews responded to the wreckage near Blair Township and Green Lake Township in Grand Traverse County.
Authorities ordered a shelter-in-place and later moved residents within one mile of the site after a hazardous chemical spill was reported near the crash area. No civilian injuries were reported. The aircraft belonged to the 149th Fighter Wing from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, which was taking part in training exercises in Michigan.
Early radio traffic and initial reporting pointed to a possible bird strike, but the cause had not been confirmed in the available reports. The crash remains under investigation.