Panic erupted at a packed Idaho air show Sunday after two fighter jets collided in midair and exploded in front of horrified spectators — sending a massive fireball and thick black smoke billowing across the sky.
The terrifying crash happened during the Gunfighters Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, about 50 miles southeast of Boise, as stunned families watched the dramatic disaster unfold in real time.
Miraculously, all four crew members aboard the two aircraft managed to eject before the jets slammed into the ground, according to local reports.
“We had four good parachutes. The crews were able to eject,” an announcer told the shaken crowd moments after the crash.
Witnesses watched in disbelief as the two Navy Super Hornet-style fighter jets appeared to fly dangerously close together before colliding in midair. Video from the scene captured the aircraft becoming tangled before spiraling toward the runway as sparks shot through the air.
BREAKING: Two U.S. Navy jets collided mid-air and exploded during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base. pic.twitter.com/R66ADWM2TY
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 17, 2026
Seconds later, the planes exploded on impact in a thunderous blast that sent flames and smoke shooting high into the sky.
Emergency crews rushed to the crash scene while the air base was immediately placed on lockdown.
“The parachutes came down,” the announcer reassured the crowd, adding that rescue teams were racing to reach the pilots and crew members roughly a mile from the crash site.
The horrifying incident revived painful memories tied to the long-running Idaho air show.
Sunday’s event marked the first time the Gunfighters Air Show had returned in eight years after a fatal 2018 accident killed a hang glider pilot. Another terrifying crash occurred during the show in 2003 when a Thunderbird pilot was forced to eject after losing control of his aircraft.
Social media quickly exploded with dramatic footage showing the terrifying midair collision, with many viewers comparing the scene to something out of a Hollywood disaster movie.
Officials at Mountain Home Air Force Base have not yet released additional details about what caused the crash.
An investigation is expected.
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