United States Navy EA-18G Growlers Collide At Gunfighter Skies Air Show Idaho

Four crew members survived a mid-air collision between two US Navy EA-18G Growler fighter jets during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday, prompting an immediate lockdown of the base and the cancellation of remaining displays.

Witness videos posted online captured the moment the two aircraft struck each other while performing, then split apart in the sky. Seconds later, four parachutes appeared, drifting toward nearby fields, as thick black smoke began to rise from the crash area outside the base perimeter.

Mountain Home Air Force Base air show crash and emergency response

Local reports said the incident happened shortly after 12:30 pm local time, around two miles from Mountain Home Air Force Base. Emergency crews, including fire and medical teams, rushed to the site as security personnel ordered spectators to remain in place and later moved them off the airfield.

The Idaho Statesman reported that an announcer at the Gunfighter Skies Air Show informed the crowd that all four crew members had ejected and survived. The US Navy later confirmed that each member of the two EA-18G Growler aircrews escaped by parachute following the mid-air collision.

Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base

Mountain Home Air Force Base officials said investigators and emergency responders stayed on scene through the afternoon while debris was secured and initial checks began. A spokesperson told Reuters, "Emergency responders are on the scene and investigation is underway and more details will be released as they become available," noting that further updates would be issued when confirmed.

Mountain Home Police stated that the base was placed under lockdown after the collision to control access and support the emergency response. Air show organisers cancelled all remaining Sunday events once the scale of the incident became clear, asking attendees to leave in an orderly manner while routes were cleared for emergency vehicles.

BREAKING: 2 U.S. Navy Super Hornets/Growlers crash and collide during Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.Aviation sources tell KTVB that both aircrews ejected safely. pic.twitter.com/GPsdrwTFWq— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) May 17, 2026

Past incidents linked to Mountain Home Air Force Base air shows

The Gunfighter Skies Air Show returned this weekend after an eight-year gap, attracting thousands of visitors who came to watch flying demonstrations and military aircraft displays. Organisers had planned the programme for nearly two years, placing safety teams and maintenance crews around Mountain Home Air Force Base throughout the event schedule.

The latest crash has renewed attention on earlier accidents connected with Mountain Home Air Force Base shows. In 2018, a hang glider pilot died after hitting the runway during an event there. A Thunderbirds jet also crashed during a 2003 air show at the base, although the pilot survived by ejecting moments before impact.

The collision near Mountain Home Air Force Base ended the long-awaited Gunfighter Skies Air Show earlier than planned, yet all four aircrew members survived after ejecting. Investigators are now examining the crash while officials review safety procedures for future events at the Idaho base.