Two EA-18G Growlers from the Growler Demo Crew collided mid-air throughout the Gunfighter Skies Air Present at Mountain House Air Power Base, Idaho. All 4 crew members ejected.
Two EA-18G Growlers of the Growler Demonstration Crew of the VAQ-129 “Vikings” crashed after being concerned in a mid-air collision throughout the Gunfighter Skies Air Present at Mountain House Air Power Base, Idaho. A video apparently displaying the incident exhibits the 4 crew members of the 2 plane ejecting.
2 E/A-18G Growlers from the VAQ-129 Growler Demo Crew are reported to have collided throughout the Gunfighter Skies Airshow at Mountain House AFB, Idaho at present. Each crews are reported to have ejected safely. pic.twitter.com/k5SWJ9mz1u
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) Could 17, 2026
Photographer Shane Odgen managed to movie all the sequence of the collision and subsequent ejections. He posted the video on Fb right here, the clip was later broadly circulated on-line.
Footage of the mid air collision between a pair of Navy Tremendous Hornets/Growlers throughout the Gunfighter Skies Air Present at Mountain House Air Power Base moments in the past. pic.twitter.com/yQqPavmSWk
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) Could 17, 2026
The kinematics of the mid-air collision are virtually unimaginable. The video of the incident seems to point out the 2 EA-18G Growlers coming into very shut proximity throughout the show. As they converge, the lead plane seems to show, leading to obvious contact. Each plane then appear to pitch up or abruptly enhance their angle of assault. The jets subsequently seem to depart managed flight and start shedding altitude, wanting virtually entangled for a second, though this impression could also be partly attributable to lens compression, perspective and video distortion. Shortly afterward, the crew members eject.
A sequence of pictures present the 2 Growlers and the crew members proper after the ejection.
Photograph sequence proper after the ejection. Our good buddy Henk Zuurbier was on the present at present at Mountain House AFB, ID. Wow! pic.twitter.com/7I9LaoxyLr
— RampCheck Aviation (@rampcheckglobal) Could 17, 2026
We took screenshots of the ejection sequence from video captured by Shane Ogden. The jets remained entangled all the best way to the bottom. The crew within the decrease jet seems extremely lucky, because the higher jet was indirectly over their cover. This might have ended a lot worse.… pic.twitter.com/D924hbrqpG
— RampCheck Aviation (@rampcheckglobal) Could 17, 2026
The 2 plane had been recognized as being EA-18G 168895 “NJ-502” and EA-18G 168252 “NJ-540”.
The collision seems to be to have been involving EA-18G 168895 “NJ-502” and EA-18G 168252 “NJ-540”.#AE53C5 / #AE2F0D
— Nick ✈︎ (@N214WN) Could 17, 2026
Mid-air collision of two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers (BuNo 168252 and 168895). Metal balls, crews waited about 5 seconds earlier than ejecting! pic.twitter.com/Ll2l774AUW
— The Army Watch (@MarcinRogowsk14) Could 17, 2026
The airshow was halted and the rest of it cancelled after the incident, which occurred 2 miles to the northwest of the bottom.
The U.S. Navy stood up the EA-18G Growler Demo Crew at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in 2020. The workforce is made up of crews and plane from Digital Assault Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), also referred to as “Vikings”, which is the Fleet Alternative Squadron (FRS) that’s in control of the coaching of all naval aviators that may fly the Boeing EA-18G Growler.
“Whereas VAQ-129 has at all times been centered on coaching Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Power aircrew, at present our scholar physique contains our Royal Australian Air Power companions. Our teacher workers contains aircrew from the Royal Australian Air Power, the British Royal Air Power, the USA Navy, the USA Air Power, and the USA Marine Corps”.
Till at present’s accident, the Vikings maintained a fleet of 55 EA-18G Growler plane, in response to their official web site.
It is a growing story we’ll replace it as extra particulars emerge.
