Michigan F-16 crash: ejected pilot found conscious and in stable condition
A US Air National Guard F-16 went down in a rural part of Grand Traverse County, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon. The pilot ejected before impact, was found conscious at the scene, and is in stable condition, officials said.
An F-16C assigned to an Air National Guard unit crashed on Thursday afternoon in Blair Township, a rural part of Grand Traverse County, Michigan, according to the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
The jet came down close to the junction of County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road, southwest of Traverse City. The pilot got out of the aircraft before it hit the ground, and first responders who reached the site found the pilot awake and responsive.
The pilot was taken to a local hospital. Military and medical authorities said the pilot's condition was stable.
State officials said the aircraft belonged to a Texas Air National Guard unit that was operating in the area at the time.
Emergency crews were sent to the scene, where smoke was visible rising from the wreckage. Michigan State Police are working with the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office to hold the perimeter and direct traffic around roads that were shut in Blair Township. Residents were told to stay clear of the immediate area while the wreckage was secured.
No one on the ground was hurt and no civilian property was damaged, officials said.
The crash site has been cordoned off by the military, and an investigation into what caused the incident is under way.
Sources
- airlive.netEjected pilot of crashed F-16 Fighting Falcon has been located and was conscious