Pilot ejects safely before F-16 crash in northern Michigan

An F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday afternoon in northern Michigan, prompting an evacuation of nearby homes. The pilot is stable, a military official confirmed, after ejecting safely from the aircraft.

The crash happened around 2 p.m. along a county road in Green Lake Township, a few miles east of Interlochen State Park. Grand Traverse County Emergency Management ordered everyone within one mile of the crash site to evacuate.

A spokesperson with the Michigan Department of Military and Veteran Affairs told WOOD that the F-16 is part of the 149th Fighter Wing from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas. A recent social media post from the 149th Fighter Wing said student and instructor pilots were heading to Michigan to take part in Operation Northern Cactus out of the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.

Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, a public affairs specialist with the 149th Fighter Wing, told The Associated Press that the pilot had ejected safely and was receiving medical treatment at a local hospital. Gutierrez declined to release details about the pilot’s identity or any injuries, citing military policy.

Master Sgt. Agustin Salazar, also a spokesperson for the 149th, told WOOD that the pilot is in stable condition. He said he could not immediately comment on whether anyone else was injured and that additional information would be forthcoming.

Witnesses reported hearing a loud crash, and images posted to social media showed a dark plume of smoke in the air. An audio recording obtained by WOOD indicated the pilot believed the jet may have hit a bird.

Wendy Sobeck said she and her husband heard a “very loud crash” down the road, minutes from their rural home.

“We thought there was a car accident outside our house. We saw big billowing black smoke. We couldn’t tell what it was, so my husband got into his pickup truck and saw what happened,” Sobeck said. “You could see the plane debris in the field. Explosions kept happening.”

Fred Sobeck, 65, said he drove down the road and saw a “big fireball in the field” near a house and a camper, which were not hit.

“Police told me to get out of there because of explosions,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.