eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

Military jets’ crew safely ejected after Idaho air show collision, Navy says

South China Morning Post · · 215 words · By Reuters
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3353906/military-je…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

8 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 2
check_circle
“Four crew members involved in a mid-air collision of military jets at an air show ejected safely on Sunday outside Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web search results confirm that four crew members successfully ejected following a mid-air collision of military jets during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show on a Sunday near Mountain Home Air Force Base.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Air Force Falcons are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the United States Air Force Academy, located in El Paso County, Colorado north of Colorado Springs. The athletic department …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Falcons
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Air Force Falcons men's basketball team represents the United States Air Force Academy, located in Air Force Academy, Colorado, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home game…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Falcons_men's_basket…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lookout Mountain Air Force Station (LMAFS) is a Formerly Used Defense Site which today is a private residence of actor Jared Leto in the neighborhood of Lookout Mountain, Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, C…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lookout_Mountain_Air_Force_Sta…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“Two E/A-18G Growler jets collided in mid-air two miles from the base during the two-day Gunfighter Skies Air Show”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources specify that two EA-18G Growler jets collided mid-air approximately two miles from the base during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_EA-18G_Growler
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engined, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft. Operated by both the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy between…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_EA-6B_Prowler
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Electronic Attack Squadron 138 (VAQ-138), also known as the "Yellow Jackets", is an expeditionary EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washingto…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAQ-138
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“The two jets with four crew collided “while performing an aerial demonstration” as part of the air show”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the collision occurred during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, which is an event consisting of aerial demonstrations.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 366th Fighter Wing (366 FW) is a fighter wing of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/366th_Fighter_Wing
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven is a small hand-launched remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (or SUAV) developed for the United States military, but now adopted by the military forces of many othe…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroVironment_RQ-11_Raven
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is an organized list of all of the active aircraft squadrons that currently exist in the United States Air Force, sorted by type. Most squadrons have changed names and designations many times ov…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_United_States_A…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
“The airbase was locked down after the crash, according to Mountain Home’s Facebook page”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources state that Mountain Home Air Force Base was locked down following the incident, citing social media posts from the base.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Hill Air Force Base (IATA: HIF, ICAO: KHIF, FAA LID: HIF) is a major U.S. Air Force (USAF) base located in Davis County, Utah, just south of the city of Ogden, and bordering the Cities of Layton, Clea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_Air_Force_Base
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mountain Home is the largest city in and the county seat of Elmore County, Idaho, United States. The population was 15,979 in the 2020 census. The population in 2024 is projected to be 16,921. It is t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Home,_Idaho
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mountain Home Air Force Base (IATA: MUO, ICAO: KMUO, FAA LID: MUO) is a United States Air Force (USAF) installation in the western United States. Located in southwestern Idaho in Elmore County, the b…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_Home_Air_Force_Base
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“The air show’s official site lists the US Navy’s E/A-18G “Vikings” Growler Demo Team as one of the scheduled performers”
SINGLE SOURCE
While web results confirm the existence of a US Navy EA-18G Growler Demo Team, the specific claim that they were the scheduled performers for this specific air show is not explicitly corroborated by multiple independent sources in the provided evidence, though it is implied by the aircraft types involved.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AN/ALQ-218 is an American airborne electronic warfare radar warning receiver (RWR) system, found on Northrop Grumman EA-6B Prowler and Boeing EA-18G Growler aircraft. In accordance with the Joint …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/ALQ-218
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AN/ALQ-99 is an airborne electronic warfare system, previously found on the EA-6B Prowler and now utilised by the EA-18G Growler military aircraft. The ALQ-99E version of the system was carried on…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AN/ALQ-99
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA-6B Pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_EA-18G_Growler
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“The jets involved in the collision were assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 from Whidbey Island, Washington”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms that Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129) is based at Whidbey Island, Washington, but none of the provided sources explicitly link the specific jets involved in this collision to VAQ-129.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Electronic Attack Squadron 129 is the United States Navy's only EA-18G Growler training squadron.The squadron is permanently stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, in Puget Sound, Washington.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAQ-129
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — An EA-18G Growler attached to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, successfully completed a functional check flight at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Oct.Growler Block II (GB2) is currently …
https://theaviationgeekclub.com/ea-18g-growler-returns-to-th…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Most of the Growler squadrons are based at Whidbey Island. One squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The “Zappers” were recently deployed on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
https://armedforcesconnect.org/2024/10/16/the-us-navy-says-a…
check_circle
“Sunday marked the first Gunfighter Skies Air Show in eight years”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources explicitly state that this was the first Gunfighter Skies Air Show in eight years.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — This was the first time Gunfighter Skies had been held in eight years. A hang glider pilot died in an accident at that 2018 event. This is a developing story and will be updated.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2026/05/crews-able-to-eject-du…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The air show takes place Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17.Crews have been planning for nearly two years and taking from lessons learned from past tragedies. Air Show Director Anthony Mountain said…
https://localnews8.com/news/top-stories/2026/05/13/gunfighte…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Gunfighter Skies Air Show returned this weekend for the first time in eight years. Thousands attended the event to watch military aircraft displays and aerial demonstrations.
https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/2-us-f-18-fighter-jets…
check_circle
“A hang-glider pilot died in a crash during the last show in 2018”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm that a hang-glider pilot (identified as Dan Buchanan) died in a crash during the 2018 Gunfighter Skies Air Show.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A hang glider who crashed onto the runway at Mountain Home Air Force Base during Saturday's Gunfighter Skies air show has died from his injuries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvfNgRZWyIY
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A hang glider pilot died Saturday following an accident at the Gunfighter Skies air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. CBS affiliate KBOI-TV reports that Dan Buchanan was transported by ai…
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hang-glider-pilot-dead-mhafb-mo…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — MOUNTAIN HOME – A hang glider who crashed onto the runway at Mountain Home Air Force Base during Saturday’s Gunfighter Skies air show has died from his injuries.
https://www.eastidahonews.com/2018/06/hang-glider-pilot-dies…
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.