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Idaho air show where two jets crashed was first to be held at base since death of pilot in 2018 accident

Nypost · · 591 words · By Anthony Blair
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What to know about Aviation Safety

Idaho air show where two jets crashed was first to be held at base since death of pilot in 2018 accident See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 13
Techniques found 1
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Idaho air show where two jets crashed was first to be held at base since death of pilot in 2018 accident See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleAn Idaho air show where two fighter jets crashed in midair on Sunday was the first to be held on the base since 2018, when a pilot was killed after his hang glider hit the ground in front of distraught spectators.

Common ground

The Gunfighter Skies event at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, 50 miles southeast of Boise, hadn’t been held for eight years, since the death of Dan Buchanan, 62, in an accident during his show.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/18/us-news/idaho-air-show-where-jets-crashed-was-firs…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 3
verified Verified By Reference 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “That pilot was able to steer the plane away from the crowd and eject less than a second before the craft crashed to earth, and was unharmed.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that the pilot (Capt. Chris Stricklin) ejected safely and was unharmed, steering the plane away from the crowd.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The 4205th Air Base Group was activated on 12 December to prepare the newly re-designated Mountain Home Air Force Base for operational use. Three wings of the Air Resupply and Communications Service u…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Home_Air_Force_Base
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — MOUNTAIN HOME (Idaho Statesman) — Rescue crews responded Sunday to a crash during the Gunfighter Skies air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base.In 2003, a Thunderbird crashed but the pilot was able to…
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2026/05/midair-collision-spark…
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web search NEUTRAL — An F-16C jet from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds crashed during the Gunfighter Skies 2003 air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, but the pilot, Capt. Chris Stricklin, ejected safely and no spectat…
https://sofrep.com/fightersweep/watch-usaf-thunderbirds-ejec…
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Claim 2: “the death of Dan Buchanan, 62, in an accident during his show”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that 62-year-old Dan Buchanan died in a hang glider accident during a performance at the Mountain Home Air Force Base.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Buchanan was performing at the Gunfighter Skies air show, and had performed at air shows around the world since the 1980s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjQ5n7jH-5Y
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Buchanan was killed during a June 2 Mountain Home Air Force Base performance in Idaho. Photo by Mike Collins. The aerobatic specialist was flying a two-ship daytime routine when the glider plummeted t…
https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2018/june/04/wh…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The accident took place during the Gunfighter Skies Air & Space Celebration at the Mountain Home Air Force Base. The pilot, 62-year-old Dan Buchanan, was flown by air ambulance to a nearby local hospi…
https://www.ibtimes.com/idaho-air-show-dan-buchanan-veteran-…
verified
Claim 3: “The Gunfighter Skies event at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, 50 miles southeast of Boise”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and multiple other sources confirm the base is located approximately 40-50 miles southeast of Boise.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the base is twelve miles southwest of Mountain Home, which is forty miles southeast of Boise via Interstate 84.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Home_Air_Force_Base
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mountain Home Air Force Base is home to the 366th Fighter Wing, the "Gunfighters."Located on a high desert plateau between two large mountain ranges, Mountain Home AFB is situated about 50 miles south…
https://www.military.com/base-guide/mountain-home-air-force-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mountain Home Air Force Base is located in southwestern Idaho, about 50 miles southeast of Boise. Established in 1943, it's home to the 366th Fighter Wing, known as the 'Gunfighters' which operates F-…
https://anyrouteai.com/terminals/mountain_home_afb_id
+ 1 more evidence source
schedule
Claim 4: “The base was put on lockdown following the crash and the remainder of the air show was canceled.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 5: “Each plane, a variant of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet, costs roughly $67 million.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the specific cost of the EA-18G Growler aircraft.
schedule
Claim 6: “Visibility was good at the time, with winds gusting up to 29 mph when the crash took place, according to the National Weather Service.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 7: “in 2018, when a pilot was killed after his hang glider hit the ground”
CORROBORATED
The evidence for claim 0 explicitly mentions a hang glider died in a crash during an air show in 2018, and evidence for claim 3 identifies this person as Dan Buchanan.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — An aircraft pilot, or aviator, is an individual who controls an aircraft's flight by operating its directional controls. Other aircrew members, such as navigators and flight engineers, are also consid…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_pilot
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Microsoft Copilot is your companion to inform, entertain and inspire. Get advice, feedback and straightforward answers. Try Copilot now.
https://copilot.microsoft.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Visit a Pilot near you. We offer the Axle Fuel Card; an app with exclusive offers for pro drivers and fuel guests; diesel fuel; and Truck Care.
https://locations.pilotflyingj.com/search
info
Claim 8: “Buchanan, a paraplegic aviator who nonetheless had more than 3,000 logged hours as a performing hang glider”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this specific claim consists of stock market data for 'Dana Incorporated' and does not contain information about Dan Buchanan's medical status or flight hours.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · View Dana Incorporated DAN investment & stock information. Get the latest Dana Incorporated DAN detailed stock quotes, stock data, Real-Time ECN, charts, stats and more.
https://www.zacks.com/stock/quote/dan
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago · DAN | Complete Dana Inc. stock news by MarketWatch. View real-time stock prices and stock quotes for a full financial overview.
https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/Stock/DAN
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Find the latest Dana Incorporated (DAN) stock quote, history, news and other vital information to help you with your stock trading and investing.
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DAN/?fr=sycsrp_catchall
schedule
Claim 9: “All four are in a stable condition as of Monday morning, base officials said.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 10: “Sunday’s dramatic mid-air crash involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 based in Whidbey Island, Washington”
CORROBORATED
Three independent reports confirm that two EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 based in Whidbey Island collided in mid-air on Sunday.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The collision and subsequent crash involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forc…
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/two-us-navy-ea18-g-growlers-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two jets from the Navy’s EA-18G Growler Demonstration Team collided in midair during a demonstration at Mountain Home Air Force Base.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-growlers-crash-airshow/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet.…
https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2026/05/18/4-crew-members-ejec…
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Claim 11: “Mountain Home was also the scene of another crash in 2003 when a Thunderbirds aircraft hit the ground while attempting a maneuver.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a Wikipedia file description and news reports, confirm a Thunderbirds aircraft crashed at Mountain Home AFB in 2003.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho — Capt. Christopher Stricklin ejects from the USAF Thunderbirds number six aircraft less than a second before it impacted the ground at an air show at Mountain Home…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2003_Thunderbirds_Mountai…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron headlined the show both days. The National Weather Service reported good visibility and winds gusting up to 29 mph around the time of the crash.I…
https://abc7news.com/post/2-navy-jets-crash-during-air-show-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Featured image of Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho — Capt. Christopher Stricklin ejecting from the USAF Thunderbirds number six aircraft less than a second before it impacted the ground at an air s…
https://sofrep.com/fightersweep/watch-usaf-thunderbirds-ejec…
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Claim 12: “An Idaho air show where two fighter jets crashed in midair on Sunday was the first to be held on the base since 2018”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that the Gunfighter Skies air show was the first held at Mountain Home Air Force Base since 2018.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — First air show at base since 2018 featured Thunderbirds, warbirds and STEM expo.For many in the crowd, this was their first air show experience. “Oh yeah, this is amazing,” said Colton and Mason Rhode…
https://www.kmvt.com/2026/05/17/gunfighter-skies-air-show-dr…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two US Navy jets collide during air show at military base.This year’s Gunfighter Skies event was the first at the base since 2018, when a hang glider died in a crash during an air show performance. In…
https://www.theage.com.au/world/north-america/two-navy-jets-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Two F-18 fighter jets have crashed at the Mountain Home Air Force Base during the Fighter Skies Airshow. All airmen are reported safe after four parachutes were seen deploying after the crash.
https://dayton247now.com/news/nation-world/two-ea-18-fighter…
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Claim 13: “All four crew members in both jets were able to eject safely”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that all four crew members from the two colliding jets ejected safely.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.