Navy EA-18G Growlers Collide During Mountain Home Air Show; All Four Crew Members Safe
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Mid-air collision halts Gunfighter Skies event
A high-stakes aerial demonstration at Mountain Home Air Force Base turned into a rescue operation Sunday after two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers collided mid-air. Despite the violent nature of the crash, all four crew members aboard the aircraft managed to eject safely, avoiding what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.
The aircraft involved belonged to the Electronic Attack Squadron 129, based out of Whidbey Island, Washington. According to Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, the jets were engaged in a choreographed demonstration for the crowds when the contact occurred. Following the collision, the airbase was immediately locked down as emergency responders rushed to the crash site.
Spectators on the ground captured the harrowing moments on camera. In one video shared by attendee Shane Ogden, the two jets appear to make contact while flying in close proximity. The aircraft immediately lost stability, spinning in tandem before the crew members ejected. The footage shows the planes plummeting to the earth, resulting in a massive fireball upon impact near the base, approximately 50 miles south of Boise.
Emergency response and ground impact
While the aircraft were destroyed, officials confirmed that no spectators or base personnel were injured. Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho—the organization that helped coordinate the event—emphasized the priority of the outcome. “Everyone is safe and I think that’s the most important thing,” Sykes said.
The aftermath of the crash has caused significant logistical disruptions in the region. The Idaho Transportation Department announced the closure of SH-167 from Simco Road to SH-67 near the base. Officials warned that the road closure is expected to last several days to allow investigators and recovery teams to secure the debris field and analyze the wreckage.
Environmental conditions at the time of the accident were reported as favorable, with good visibility, though the National Weather Service noted wind gusts reaching up to 29 mph during the window of the crash.
A history of risk at Mountain Home
The Gunfighter Skies event, which featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the headlining act, was the first air show hosted at the base since 2018. That previous era of events was marred by a fatal hang glider crash. The base has a long, complex history with aviation accidents, including a 2003 incident where a Thunderbirds pilot narrowly escaped death by ejecting less than a second before his aircraft hit the ground.
This accident comes at a time when the broader air show industry is under constant pressure to modernize safety protocols. John Cudahy, CEO of the International Council of Air Shows, noted that the industry has seen a steady decline in fatalities over the last decade. According to Cudahy, the average number of annual deaths at U.S. air shows has dropped from two per year to roughly one, with no spectator deaths recorded since 1952.
The Navy and Air Force have not yet released a formal cause for the collision. A standard military investigation will now be launched to determine if the incident was caused by pilot error, mechanical failure, or a breakdown in communication during the high-speed maneuvers.
