There was a shocking accident at Mountain Home Air Force Base, at an air show where two U.S. fighter jets were apparently airfighting and left the plane to crash and make its way towards the ground.
The tragedy also took place at an air show that drew hundreds of fans, sending panic through the crowd. When a crash occurred, some had said fighter aircraft were in flight and involved in manoeuvres in tandem to win the air show.
Witnesses noted the jets were perilously close seconds before they crashed down and exploded with smoke flying from the crash area. Members of the first responders, including military firefighters, arrived after the collision. Investigators quickly sealed the area and tried to get the bodies out.
Official confirmation of the pilots involved is not known; officials are assessing the type of injuries and damage to the plane from the crash. Spectators saw broken-down objects smashed into some others as videos became available on social media post-incident. A precautionary move to evacuate the attendees from adjacent viewing areas was necessary.
WATCH: Two US Navy F/A-18 fighter jets collided mid-air while performing at an air show in Idaho.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) May 17, 2026
All pilots ejected and were seen descending safely under parachutes. pic.twitter.com/nExUeTY84q
The Air Force said it was studying the cause of the mid-air collision. The investigation could explore factors such as formation timing, communication breakdown and equipment failure, aviation researchers said. It was a very fast technical performance, especially at military air shows involving aircraft.
Such accidents are the sort that have occurred in the past, and some of the new ones that involved military jets when they’re trained and in public demonstrations, but those kinds of events are generally subject to very stringent safety protocols.
US military officials will release more details afterwards once they have read the findings. The accident cast doubt on the safety of flying during live aerial demonstrations and training events.
