An F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday afternoon in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, near the area of County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road in Blair Township. The pilot ejected and was reported conscious after landing.
First responders closed County Road 633 to traffic, and residents in the area were told to avoid it. Early images from the scene showed scattered debris around a burning wreckage with black smoke rising into the sky.
The aircraft was part of a two-jet formation, call sign BUCK 11, flying a low-level visual route designated VR634. Audio from local air traffic control indicates the lead pilot told Minneapolis Center that his wingman may have struck a bird and would need to eject just south of Traverse City.
Some reports place the crash site near Green Lake Township, within the broader Grand Traverse County area. The pilot was described by eyewitnesses as “conscious and alert” following the ejection.
Even a successful ejection can carry a serious risk of injury, and the pilot’s exact condition has not been officially confirmed. The precise cause of the crash also remains unconfirmed, though the bird-strike account from air traffic control audio is the most detailed explanation available so far.
This is a developing story, and further details from military or local officials had not been released as of Thursday.
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