Thunderbirds pilot ejects safely as F-16C crashes during California training mission over controlled airspace

The aviator of a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C ejected safely Wednesday during a grooming ngo successful California – leaving the aviator successful unchangeable information arsenic officials began investigating the crash, according to the 57th Wing.

"On December 3, 2025, astatine astir 10:45 a.m., a Thunderbird aviator ejected safely from a F-16C Fighting Falcon craft during a grooming ngo implicit controlled airspace successful California," the Thunderbirds said successful a connection connected societal media. "The aviator is successful unchangeable information and receiving follow-on care. The incidental is nether probe and further accusation volition beryllium released from the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office."

San Bernardino County Fire officials said connected X that units responded astir 11:10 a.m. to a reported craft exigency adjacent the San Bernardino–Inyo region line.

BANGLADESH AIR FORCE JET CRASHES INTO SCHOOL CAMPUS, KILLING AT LEAST 19

When crews arrived, they assisted Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake exigency unit with extinguishing a occurrence from the downed craft successful a adust water furniture adjacent Trona.

The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and taken to a adjacent hospital.

SIX DEADLIEST NON-COMBAT MILITARY AVIATION ACCIDENTS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

The Air Force Thunderbirds execute astatine the 2024 Legacy of Liberty Airshow astatine Holloman Air Force Base successful Alamogordo, N.M.  (Bill Chizek, Getty Images)

The Thunderbirds, stationed astatine Nellis Air Force Base successful Nevada, are the Air Force’s premier aerial objection squad and execute immoderate of the service’s astir demanding precision maneuvers.

The squadron flies F-16C Fighting Falcons successful tightly choreographed formations that necessitate year-round grooming and extended formation hours to maintain.

NAVY BLUE ANGELS, AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS TEAMING UP FOR FLYOVERS TO SALUTE CORONAVIRUS FRONTLINE WORKERS

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds execute a flyover anterior to the commencement of the Daytona 500 astatine Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 19, 2023, successful Daytona Beach, Fla. 

Pilots are drawn from operational combatant squadrons and often person combat acquisition earlier joining the unit.

They service two-year tours connected the objection squad earlier returning to progressive combatant assignments, and their yearly docket includes dozens of aerial amusement performances crossed the state arsenic portion of the Air Force’s recruitment and assemblage outreach mission.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The Thunderbirds person experienced mishaps during grooming successful the past, including a 2018 clang adjacent Nellis Air Force Base that killed Maj. Stephen Del Bagno during a regular grooming flight.

Fox News Digital antecedently reported that the Air Force conducted a information reappraisal pursuing the incident, which highlighted however the high-speed, high-G quality of the team’s routines carries inherent hazard adjacent successful controlled environments.