Dramatic F-16 Crash Shakes Northern Michigan

The U.S. military was conducting training exercises in Northern Michigan when an F-16 fighter pilot was forced to eject before the jet crashed in a rural area, prompting temporary evacuations for nearby residents.

Military Training Facility Near Alpena, Michigan

Michigan has one active U.S. army installation, the Detroit Arsenal, located in the Detroit area. The state also has roughly 11 to 16 National Guard and Reserve facilities, including the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, or CRTC, near Alpena.

The CRTC is a premier Michigan Air National Guard training facility and one of just four dedicated Combat Readiness Training Centers in the country. It offers extensive training airspace over the eastern U.S. and is part of the National All-Domain Warfighting Center, or NADWC. The center also conducts training with nearby Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center.

Fighter Jet Crashes in Alpena Area of Michigan

FOX 17 reports that an F-16 from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas crashed in Northern Michigan while participating in a military training exercise north of Alpena. The pilot ejected moments before the crash. The pilot’s wingman said he believes the jet may have struck a bird, but military authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.

The pilot was taken to a regional hospital, but a military official declined to release the pilot’s identity or provide details about any injuries.

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Residents living near the crash site were temporarily evacuated after a hazardous chemical called hydrazine spilled from the wreckage. The evacuation has since been lifted, allowing residents to return to their homes.

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