The collision occurred during an aerial demonstration above the base, located about 40 miles southeast of Boise, and was captured on bystander video that showed the jets appearing to come together in the air before breaking apart and plunging toward the ground. Moments later, four parachutes were seen deploying, a development that officials and witnesses described as an extraordinary sign that all aboard had escaped the wreckage.

Naval Air Forces Pacific confirmed that all four air crew members from the two aircraft ejected safely and were taken for medical evaluation. Officials said the crew members were in stable condition. No injuries were reported on the ground.

The Navy said the incident remains under investigation. The crash briefly shut down operations at the base and prompted security personnel to secure the area where the aircraft went down. Organizers later canceled the rest of the air show for Sunday.

Witnesses describe a sudden and terrifying scene

Those watching the performance said the crash unfolded in seconds. The Growlers had been flying in formation as part of the scheduled demonstration when they appeared to make contact in the air. After the collision, the aircraft were seen separating in a chaotic descent, with sparks, smoke and debris visible before impact.

Onlookers described the moment the parachutes opened as a crucial indication that the crews had escaped. One witness told local broadcasters that the scene quickly shifted from a routine air show performance to a cloud of smoke and fire on the ground. The abrupt nature of the collision left spectators stunned as emergency crews rushed in.

Video shared online showed the two jets tangled briefly before separating and falling. The footage then captured the four canopies in the sky, each marking a successful ejection from a military aircraft that was no longer controllable.

What happened at Mountain Home Air Force Base?

The Gunfighter Skies Air Show was being held at Mountain Home Air Force Base, which is home to the 366th Fighter Wing. According to officials, the base was placed on lockdown after the crash. First responders and emergency personnel were dispatched immediately to the scene as authorities assessed the condition of the crews and secured the impact area.

The EA-18G Growler is a specialized electronic warfare version of the F/A-18 family of aircraft, used by the U.S. Navy for jamming and suppression missions. While the aircraft are designed for high-performance operations, experts say midair collisions of this kind are rare, especially during public demonstrations where safety procedures are typically tightly controlled.

Officials have not released details about what caused the two jets to collide, and it remains unclear whether the aircraft were part of a formation maneuver when contact occurred. Investigators are expected to examine cockpit data, witness video and other evidence to determine how the flight sequence went wrong.

Air show canceled after crash

The collision forced the immediate cancellation of the rest of the air show, halting what had been a major public event at the base. The show was the first at Mountain Home Air Force Base since 2018, adding to the shock for spectators and organizers alike.

Military air shows are often viewed as carefully choreographed displays of precision flying, and spectators came expecting a showcase of speed and formation skill. Instead, they witnessed a serious accident that underscored the risks inherent in military aviation, even under controlled conditions.

Though crashes at public air shows are uncommon, officials and aviation experts emphasized that the successful ejections likely prevented a far more tragic outcome. One observer described the crew’s survival as involving “a lot of luck,” a reflection of how narrow the margin can be in an airborne emergency.

Investigation underway

The Navy and base officials said the incident is being investigated. That review is expected to focus on the aircraft’s flight path, communications between the pilots and support crews, timing during the demonstration, and whether any mechanical or procedural issues contributed to the collision.

For now, the priority remains the recovery of the four crew members and the safety of the base community. Officials have not said when more information may be released.

The crash serves as a stark reminder of both the precision and the danger involved in military air demonstrations. While public air shows are designed to highlight skill and inspire confidence, Sunday’s collision showed how quickly even a routine performance can turn into a life-threatening emergency.

Despite the dramatic impact and the destruction of both aircraft, the survival of all four crew members has been hailed as the most important outcome of the day. Their successful ejections, visible in the footage as parachutes descending through the smoke, turned what could have been a fatal disaster into a rare case of survival amid a high-speed aviation accident.