USA · 17 May, 2026 · 3 min read
Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers Collide During Gunfighter Skies Air Show in Idaho
Two US Navy EA-18G Growlers from Whidbey Island collided midair at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. All four crew members ejected safely and were not seriously injured.
Cause attribution: pilot error versus waiting on official determination.
11 of 12 outlets skipped it: cary Grant theorized wingman lost sight of the lead aircraft..
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Same story, two versions
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Media cite different confidence levels for cause pending investigation.
Idaho Jets Collide
Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers collided midair during the “Gunfighter Skies” air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday, May 17, 2026, near Mountain Home, Idaho.
The collision happened during an aerial demonstration, and the planes sandwiched together before careening into a field and exploding into a fireball, while all four crew members were able to eject and deploy their parachutes.
Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said Monday that only one of the four crew members was injured and that the injury was not life-threatening.
Aviation safety expert John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, said, “Air show flying is demanding. It has very little tolerance,” and added that the people who do it are very good and there is a small margin for error.
The incident is under investigation, Umayam said, and efforts to recover the damaged aircraft were underway as first responders worked at the scene.
Ejections Called Remarkable
Task & Purpose reported that all four Navy aircrew members survived by ejecting almost instantly as the planes stalled, and that three aviators were unscathed while one aircrew member was being treated for a non-life-threatening injury at a local hospital.
Retired Navy Capt. Sterling Gilliam described the outcome as extraordinary, saying, “Ejections are a string of consecutive miracles on a good day,” and noting “It’s a miracle there were four good parachutes.”
The Washington Post’s account, via AP, said the jets sandwiched together and that all four crew members were able to eject and deploy their parachutes, floating down to safety as the aircraft careened into a field.
Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti told the Associated Press that surviving may have been possible because of the way the planes collided and appeared to remain stuck together in midair before falling to Earth, and he said, “It’s really striking to see.”
USNI News later quoted Cmdr. Amelia Umayam saying, “All four of the air crew successfully ejected and they are being evaluated by medical personnel,” and that the incident was under investigation.
What Happens Next
The crash occurred about 57 miles (92 kilometers) southwest of Boise during the Gunfighter Skies air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, and the base was placed on lockdown immediately after the collision.
USA TODAY reported that the air show was canceled for the remainder of Sunday, and Mountain Home Police Department advised the public not to travel to or attempt to access the base as a spectator.U
Cmdr. Amelia Umayam said the incident is under investigation and that more information will be released as it becomes available, while USNI News said emergency responders were on the scene.
The Associated Press account also said the incident is under investigation, and that efforts to recover the damaged aircraft are underway with a priority to ensure the safety and well-being of personnel and security of the aircraft during recovery.
The air show industry has been working to improve safety for years at roughly 200 events held each year in the U.S., and International Council of Air Shows president John Cudahy said that between 1991 to 2006 there was an average of 3.8 deaths a year at a U.S. air show.