Two Navy EA-18G Growler jets collided in midair Sunday during the Gunfighter Skies air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, prompting a lockdown of the base.
Mountain Home Air Force Base, located about 55 miles southeast of Boise, was hosting its Gunfighter Skies air show on Sunday, May 17, 2026, when officials placed the base on lockdown.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m. local time, social media posts from the base announced the lockdown. In a follow-up statement, officials reported that an “aircraft incident” had occurred, emergency crews were on scene, and an investigation was underway.
All four crew members ejected safely, with witnesses and announcers reporting four good parachutes, according to Fox 4. The incident occurred on the second day of the air show, the first held at the base in eight years.
The collision involved aircraft from the Navy’s VAQ-129 Growler Demo Team. Video shared by attendees showed the jets making contact, followed by smoke and parachutes descending. Emergency crews responded immediately, and the show was paused.
US jets COLLIDE MID AIR at Gunfighter Skies Air Show
CRASH and EXPLODE
4 parachutes seen pic.twitter.com/GYVJDLNgGU
— RT (@RT_com) May 17, 2026
The Gunfighter Skies 2026 event, themed “Freedom Takes Flight,” celebrated America’s 250th birthday and featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, F-15Es, A-10 Warthogs, warbirds, and other demonstrations. It drew thousands of spectators on Saturday and Sunday.
This marks the latest in a series of air show incidents in recent years. In 2025, a fatal midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter resulted in 67 deaths. The NTSB cited multiple systemic issues, including airspace management and visual separation failures.
Other examples include a 2025 incident at the Dubai Air Show where an Indian Air Force Tejas pilot died in a crash, and a 2022 midair collision at the Dallas air show that killed six people, reported Al Jazeera.
Investigations into the Mountain Home incident are underway by the Navy, Air Force, and federal authorities to determine the cause, which may include formation spacing, wind conditions, or mechanical factors.
The Gunfighter Skies air show returned after an eight-year hiatus, with organizers citing lessons from prior events, including a 2003 Thunderbirds crash and a 2018 hang glider fatality at the same base, reported Channel 3000.
