The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” return to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., in February 2025. (Lauren Clevenger/U.S. Air Force)
An Air Force Thunderbird pilot ejected safely from an F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft Wednesday during a training mission over controlled airspace in California. The pilot is in stable condition and receiving follow-on care, the Air Force said.
The jet crashed at about 10:45 a.m. PST near the airport in Trona, Calif., about 27 miles from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. China Lake is about 130 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The unpopulated desert area is a major live weapons firing range used by all services.
Edwards Air Force Base said it was sending an environmental response team to the crash site to deal with any toxic materials, including highly flammable hydrazine, which is used in the F-16 Emergency Power Unit (EPU). In the event of an engine flameout, the EPU is activated to push the hydrazine through the system to maintain power, control and seat ejection systems. It emits fumes that are highly toxic and require decontamination.
The Thunderbirds are based at Nellis Air Force Base, near Las Vegas. The base is about 117 miles from the Trona airport.
The unit, officially known as the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, practices at Nellis AFB during the winter then tours the country and beyond the rest of the year, headlining major air shows.
The incident is under investigation, and further information will be released by the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office at Nellis.
The San Bernardino County Fire Department reported it was responding with resources from Station 57 to an “aircraft emergency” near the San Bernardino and Inyo County lines.
The Thunderbirds were created in 1953, seven years after the United States Navy Demonstration Flight Squadron, known as “the Blue Angels,” was formed in 1946.
The Thunderbirds have experienced crashes during their history, though the last fatal incident occurred in 2018, when Maj. Stephen Del Bagno became unconscious and died while practicing a maneuver near Las Vegas.