An F-16 jet from the US Air Force Thunderbirds, an elite aerial demo team, crashed Wednesday morning in Southern California’s desert, with the pilot safely ejecting just before impact, according to military sources.
The pilot was reported in stable condition and receiving medical attention, as stated by Air Force spokesperson Staff Sgt. Jovante Johnson in an email on Wednesday.
The cause of the crash, which occurred around 10:45 am during a training exercise in controlled airspace, remains unknown, military officials said.
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The F-16C Fighting Falcon hit a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert near Trona, California, resulting in a plume of smoke and a loud boom heard in the area, according to emergency responders and witnesses.
The crash happened roughly 2 miles south of Trona Airport, though the jet wasn’t using the airport, said George Bass, the airport manager, in a phone interview. Military aircraft frequently operate in the area, he noted.
A video circulating online appears to show the pilot’s parachute deploying just as the jet exploded into flames.
BREAKING: Supersonic F-16C fighter jet crashed near Trona Airport, California pic.twitter.com/eF0dvlF6WE
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) December 3, 2025
As of 2021, an F-16C is estimated to cost $18.8 million according to the Air Force.
The Federal Aviation Administration directed questions regarding the incident to the military.
The Thunderbirds are stationed at Nellis Air Force Base near Las Vegas, about 200 miles east of the crash location.
The team is renowned for their daring maneuvers and precision during shows that have attracted millions since the Thunderbirds’ inception in 1953.
During some maneuvers, F-16s fly just 18 inches apart, performing stunts with names like the opposing knife-edge pass and the delta loop.
This crash is the second near Trona in recent years. In 2022, a Navy pilot died when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed in a remote, unpopulated area. The pilot, Lt. Richard Bullock, was on a training mission, according to the Navy.
Thunderbirds pilots have also faced fatal crashes, such as in 2018 when Maj. Stephen Del Bagno died while training in Nevada. He lost consciousness and control of his F-16 during a split-S maneuver.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
