All four crew members safely ejected after two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers collided and crashed during an air show Sunday at Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho. The incident occurred as the aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration. Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, said the planes involved were from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 based in Whidbey Island, Washington.

Following the collision, the four crew members ejected and were reported to be in stable condition. The crash was under investigation by authorities, and the base was immediately locked down following the incident. Videos posted online by spectators showed four parachutes opening in the sky as the planes fell to the ground near the base, about 50 miles south of Boise.

Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show, stated that no one at the military base was hurt. "Everyone is safe and I think that’s the most important thing," Sykes said. The remainder of the air show was canceled.

Shane Ogden, who captured the collision on video, said he was filming the jets as they came close together. His video showed the planes making contact and then spinning in tandem as the crew members ejected and their parachutes opened. The planes then fell together, exploding into a fireball upon impact.

Aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti noted that it was remarkable both crews were able to eject from their planes, which may have been possible due to the planes remaining stuck together in midair. He suggested that it was likely a pilot issue rather than a mechanical malfunction.

John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, emphasized that air show flying is demanding and has very little tolerance for error. "The people who do it are very good, and it’s a small margin for error. I’m glad everybody was able to get out," he said.

This year's Gunfighter Skies event was the first at the base since 2018, when a hang glider pilot died in a crash during an air show performance. In 2003, a Thunderbirds aircraft also crashed during a performance, killing the pilot.