Midair Collision at Idaho Air Show: Two U.S. Navy Jets Crash, Crew Members Eject Safely

Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler fighter jets collided with each other today (Sunday) and crashed during an air show held at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. All four crew members aboard the two aircraft managed to eject and were rescued safely.

The incident was documented by spectators who were at the scene, and the videos quickly spread across social media. In the footage, the two aircraft can be seen drawing close to one another and colliding, while at that same moment all four crew members are seen ejecting from the planes before they hit the ground. Another video from the scene shows a thick column of black smoke rising from the crash site.

The announcer at the air show quickly addressed the concerned crowd gathered at the base and said that the crew members had successfully abandoned the aircraft and parachuted to the ground. The base was placed on lockdown following the accident. The U.S. Navy and local rescue forces have opened an official investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the collision between the two aircraft.

The EA-18G Growler is a two-seat electronic warfare aircraft operated by the U.S. Navy. The two jets were performing a maneuver in which they were supposed to cross a point one after the other, but instead collided with each other. 

The air show, known as "Gunfighter Skies," is held at Mountain Home Air Force Base, located about 90 kilometers southeast of Boise. This was the first time in eight years that the base hosted the show, after the last time it was held there, in 2018, a glider pilot was killed in a crash on the runway.