Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashes in northern Michigan training flight

A Texas Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon during a training mission, the Texas Military Department said. The pilot ejected before the jet hit the ground and was taken to a hospital.

The 149th Fighter Wing, which owned the aircraft, said the pilot got out safely and that an investigation is open. More details will be released when available.

The jet had been flying from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center and is assigned to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. It went down in Grand Traverse County, near Traverse City. Local officials told a Detroit television station the pilot was in stable condition and nobody on the ground was hurt.

Audio from air traffic control reviewed by the Associated Press pointed to a possible bird strike before the crash. No cause has been identified, and a military investigation is continuing.

Residents within roughly a mile of the site were moved out after hazardous material was found close to the wreckage. The evacuation order was called off Thursday evening.