US Air Force F-16 crashes in California; pilot ejects moments before fireball: Watch

A United States (U.S.) Air Force F-16 fighter jet crashed in California during a training mission over controlled airspace, on Wednesday, at around 10: 45 a.m. Fortunately, the pilot safely ejected before the crash.

An Air Force spokesperson, Staff Sgt. Javante Johnson, said the pilot is in stable condition and currently receiving necessary medical care.

The cause of the crash is unknown and under investigation.

The fighter jet that crashed in the Mojave Desert near Trona belonged to the U.S. Air Force’s elite aerial demonstration team, Thunderbirds.

The video of the aerial accident has gone viral on social media. It shows the pilot ejecting moments before impact and his parachute opens just before the jet bursts into flames creating a plume of smoke.

The Trona Airport facility manager revealed that the jet was not using the airport, adding that the crash occurred nearly two miles south of the facility.

F-16, a fourth-generation fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin, is estimated to cost around $19 million. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not commented on the incident and they are referring questions to the military.

U.S. Air Force’s Thunderbirds unit, created in 1953, is known for its death-defying maneuvers and precision at shows.

The marks the second crash near Trona in last 3 years as a Navy pilot was killed after his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed in 2022.