F-16 Fighter Jet Crashes During Training Exercise in Michigan
Pilot ejects safely; authorities advise residents to shelter in place due to debris.
An F-16 fighter jet crashed in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon during a routine training exercise. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft, which was based in Texas. Authorities are advising residents in the vicinity to shelter in place as a precautionary measure due to potential debris from the crash.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud crash, and social media images showed a plume of dark smoke rising into the air. One resident described hearing a "very loud crash" and seeing "big billowing black smoke." The same resident reported seeing "plane debris in the field" and "explosions" following the incident.
The cause of the crash is currently unknown, and there has been no immediate word on any injuries beyond the pilot's safe ejection.