F-16 From Texas Air National Guard Crashes in Rural Michigan During Training Flight

Smoke rises after an F-16 fighter jet crashed in a rural area near Traverse City, Mich., on Sept. 17, 2026. (Rebecca Lamberson via AP)

By Kimberly Hayek

Kimberly Hayek

Kimberly Hayek is a reporter for The Epoch Times. She covers California news and has worked as an editor and on scene at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2018 migrant caravan crisis.

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September 17, 2026Updated: September 17, 2026

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An F-16 fighter jet from Texas crashed in rural northern Michigan on Thursday during a routine training exercise. The pilot ejected safely.

Sgt. Derek Gutierrez, a public affairs specialist with the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard, said the pilot was being treated at a local hospital. Gutierrez declined to release details about the pilot’s identity or any injuries, pointing to military policy.

The jet, which belonged to the Texas unit, was flying training sorties at a National Guard base in Alpena, approximately 190 miles north of Detroit.

Authorities told some residents nearby to shelter in place after the wreck, which sent a loud crash reverberating throughout the countryside. Pictures of a dark smoke plume hanging over the fields are circulating on social media.

This is a developing story that will be updated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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