An investigation is ongoing into a midair collision between two U.S. Navy aircraft during an air show in western Idaho on Sunday, with early indications suggesting one of the planes may have lost sight of the other during the ill-fated flight.
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All four crew members flying on two U.S. Navy EA18-G Growlers safely ejected when the aircraft collided and then careened toward the ground during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, about 50 miles southeast of Boise, officials said.
The jets were performing an aerial demonstration at the time of the incident, Commander Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson with the U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Naval Air Forces, told the Associated Press. Everyone involved in the incident is safe, according to officials at the base, which was temporarily locked down. The rest of the two-day air show was canceled.
Dramatic footage showed the two aircraft flying close to each another before one of the jets struck the other EA18-G Growler, sparking a fire. Both jets then spiral toward the ground as four parachutes appear in the sky. In a widely circulated clip, flames spring up from the crash site and dark smoke billows from the ground.
What Could Have Gone Wrong?
At this early stage, it’s hard to tell what may have led to the crash. Several factors could be at play, whether it’s a communications mistake, bad weather or one plane losing sight of how close it was to the other aircraft.
The footage of Sunday’s collision appears to show the latter, aviation experts say.
The two aircraft weren’t flying in close formation, which would require close concentration at all times, said Greg Bagwell, a former senior commander with the British Royal Air Force.
The two Growlers were instead flying in loose trail formation—when the jets aren’t as tightly packed together—meaning the crew can relax more than when the aircraft are flying much nearer to one another, Bagwell said,
“But closure and angles can change quickly if you are not paying attention,” he added.
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The footage appears to show the wingman pushing the nose of the aircraft down to try to find the lead aircraft after a turn, but then it collides with the other plane, Bagwell said.
“It appears to be a pilot issue to me,” aviation safety expert Jeff Guzzetti told the Associated Press. “It doesn’t look like it was a mechanical malfunction.”
“Rendezvousing with another airplane in formation flight is challenging, and it has to be done just right to prevent exactly this kind of thing,” he continued.
Last weekend’s event was the first time the Gunfighter Skies Air Show had been held since 2018, when a glider pilot crashed and died while performing at the show.
What Are EA18-G Growlers?
The Boeing-made EA-18G Growler is an electronic warfare aircraft used by the U.S. Navy to jam the radar systems used by enemy forces, interfere with communications systems and help take out air defenses that would threaten other U.S. aircraft in active operations.
The Growler is based on the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet and made its first flight in 2006. One pilot sits alongside a specialist electronic warfare officer, who is in charge of systems that can stop an enemy being able to detect U.S. aircraft or guide its missiles toward a U.S. target.
The two aircraft involved in the air show collision belonged to the Electronic Attack Squadron 129, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington. The squadron trains up U.S. personnel to operate electronic warfare aircraft and was the first squadron to receive the EA-18G Growler in 2008.
The aircraft, which costs an estimated $67 million each, was first used in combat in U.S. operations in Libya in 2011.
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