Two US Navy EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft collided in midair during an aerial demonstration at the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, sending both jets crashing to the ground in flames as thousands of spectators looked on.
The incident occurred on May 17, 2026, during the second day of the show, shortly after noon local time. The aircraft, assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129) based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, were performing as part of the Navy’s EA-18G Growler Demonstration Team when they struck each other and became briefly entangled.
Dramatic videos circulating on social media show the jets making a maneuver before colliding, pitching upward, and beginning to fall. All four naval aviators ejected almost simultaneously, their parachutes deploying as the combined wreckage descended and exploded near the base, about two miles northwest of the airfield. Base officials and Navy spokespeople said the aircrew were recovered and reported in stable condition, and there were no injuries on the ground.
The crash triggered a fire that was quickly contained and prompted a temporary lockdown of Mountain Home Air Force Base. The remainder of the Gunfighter Skies Air Show was canceled. The Navy has opened a formal investigation into the cause of the collision.