Trending Now - Navy Jets Collide Midair During Idaho Air Show: Key Insights
WHO:
PBS - The two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers involved in the collision were from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 based in Whidbey Island, Washington.
PBS - Cmdr. Amelia Umayam is the spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
PBS - Billie Flynn is a former F-35 senior test pilot and demonstration expert.
PBS - John Cox is the CEO of Safety Operating Systems.
PBS - John Cudahy is the president of the International Council of Air Shows.
PBS - Jeff Guzzetti is an aviation expert.
PBS - Michael O'Donnell is a former Federal Aviation Administration official.
WHAT:
PBS - The EA-18G Growler made its first flight in August 2006 and was the first newly designed electronic warfare aircraft produced in more than 35 years.
PBS - The Growlers are described as the Navy's most advanced airborne electronic attack tool, with the squadron maintaining 55 of the specialized planes.
PBS - The last fatal crashes at an air show occurred in 2024, resulting in two deaths at different events.
PBS - Since 2017, there have only been an average of 1.1 deaths per year at U.S. air shows.
PBS - Two Navy jets collided in midair during the "Gunfighter Skies" air show.
PBS - All four crew members were able to eject and deploy their parachutes, floating down to safety.
PBS - Only one crew member was injured and was being treated at a hospital; the injury was not life-threatening.
PBS - The collision resulted in the aircraft exploding into a fireball upon impact.
PBS - The incident is under investigation, and efforts to recover the damaged aircraft are underway.
PBS - The Growlers are described as invaluable national assets, with no newer version available.
WHERE:
PBS - The collision occurred at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, approximately 57 miles (92 kilometers) southwest of Boise, Idaho.
WHEN:
PBS - The air show event was the first at the base since 2018.
WHY:
PBS - Human error is suggested as a potential cause of the crash, as the jets were attempting to line up closely but failed to safely rejoin in formation.
HOW:
PBS - The ejection seats used by the crew members are manufactured by Martin-Baker, which has saved the lives of more than 2,000 Navy crew members since 1958.
PBS - The explosiveness of an ejection can exert as much as 20 times the force of gravity on the crew member, potentially causing temporary height reduction of about a half-inch to one-inch.
PBS - The ejection seats used by the crew members are manufactured by Martin-Baker, which has been supplying ejection seats to the Navy since 1958.
PBS - Ejection seats operate using a complex system of motors and parachutes to propel crew members away from the aircraft during an accident.
(UPDATED May 19, 2026 13:55 UTC)
The EA-18G Growler, the Navy's most advanced airborne electronic attack tool, made its first flight in August 2006 and is part of a squadron that maintains 55 of these specialized planes. Since 2017, U.S. air shows have averaged only 1.1 deaths per year, with the last fatal crashes occurring in 2024, resulting in two fatalities at different events. The ejection seats used by crew members, manufactured by Martin-Baker, have saved over 2,000 Navy lives since 1958, although the force of an ejection can exert up to 20 times the force of gravity, potentially causing a temporary height reduction of about half an inch to one inch.
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(UPDATED May 19, 2026 11:56 UTC)
Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers collided midair during the "Gunfighter Skies" air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, located about 57 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho, resulting in a fireball upon impact. Fortunately, all four crew members were able to eject and deploy their parachutes, with only one sustaining a non-life-threatening injury and receiving treatment at a hospital. The incident, which is under investigation, highlights the importance of these Growlers as invaluable national assets, as they are the only version available and human error is being considered as a potential cause of the crash.