Two Navy Growlers Collide at Mountain Home; Four Eject Safely
Two EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 collided during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home AFB; all four crew ejected and are in stable condition.
PBS NewsHourCrew member safely eject after Navy jets collide during Idaho air show
MEDIAiteWATCH: Navy Fighter Jets Crash Together and Plummet to the Ground in Air Show Disaster
Straight Arrow NewsJets collide at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho
NPRMilitary aircrew in 'stable condition' following midair collision at Idaho air show
Overview
Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler jets collided during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base and all four crew members successfully ejected and are in stable condition, officials said.
The collision prompted an immediate lockdown of Mountain Home Air Force Base and cancellation of the remainder of the air show, and spectators were advised not to travel to the base, the police department said.
The Navy said the jets were assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 at Whidbey Island and Cmdr. Amelia Umayam said the cause of the crash is under investigation.
Bystander video showed the two aircraft appear to make contact, four parachutes opened, and the jets fell together into plumes of black smoke and fire, witnesses and video showed.
Investigators said crews' survival may help determine what happened because the personnel can tell investigators what they saw, and the Navy will lead the investigation with more details to come.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage neutrally: they stick to verified facts, official statements, and eyewitness video without loaded language. Reporting relays base announcements (e.g., 'the aircrew involved...are in stable condition') and police notices about the cancellation, treating direct quotes as source content rather than editorial judgment.