Two Navy jets collide during air show

An Idaho Air Force Base was locked down and its weekend airshow was abruptly cancelled Sunday after an “incident” that local media and eyewitnesses reported to be a mid-air collision between the two Navy E/A-18G fighters that make up the service’s Growler demonstration team.

A photo posted by KBTV and a video posted to the popular Amn/nco/snco Facebook page appeared to show the two figthers locked in the air and tumbling towards the ground as all four crew members of the two-seat jets ejected. An official post by base officials confirmed an “incident” had ended the airshow.

The incident happened two miles northwest of Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, a base spokesperson told Task & Purpose

Video posted to social media shows two of the Navy’s E/A-18G Growlers flying close together before, extraordinarily, appearing to lock together and cartwheel out of the air. Four parachutes can be seen getting away from the planes as the two Growlers crash to the ground and explode. Thick black smoke is seen from the crash site, according to multiple angles. The Idaho Statesman reported that an air show announcer said “We had four good parachutes. The crews were able to eject.” They were later “found safe,” the announcer later said.

“Emergency responders are on the scene,” the base spokesperson said. “An investigation is underway. More details will be released as they become available.”

The EA-18G Growler is a variant of the FA-18 fighter with weapons and electronic systems dedicated to electronic warfare tasks, like finding and attacking enemy radar locations. Most of the Navy’s Growler squadrons are based at Whidbey Island, Washington, which is also home to the initial schoolhouse for pilots and flight officers assigned to the plane.

KTVB also posted an interview Navy Lt. Kevin Lynch, a member of the demonstration team, that appeared to be taken Saturday.

Four pilots and four electronic warfare officers from the Navy’s Growler Airshow Team were taking part in the Gunfighter Skies Airshow.

This year’s Gunfighter Skies show was the first held in eight years. In 2018, a hang glider died during a crash. The two-day air show features vintage aircraft as well as airshow teams from the Navy and Air Force.