A lot of luck involved
2 Navy jets crash mid-air during air show in Idaho 01:48
Two fighter jets collided mid-air and crashed during an air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho on Sunday. All four crew members were evacuated safely and were in stable condition, U.S. Naval Air Force officials said.
“Everybody’s safe, and I think that’s the most important thing,” said Kim Sykes, marketing manager for Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped plan the air show. CBS affiliate KBOI reported.
Mountain Home Air Force Base said Following the incident during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show, a post on social media said the remainder of the show was canceled and locked. While teams were dispatched to the scene, an investigation was launched.
Videos posted online showed two planes becoming entangled in the air, then four parachutes opening in the sky as they crashed to the ground, turning into a fireball on impact.
Still footage from video shot by witness Shane Odgen shows four aircrews ejecting from their fighter jets following the collision. / Credit: Shane Odgen
The EA-18G Growlers are assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 on Whidbey Island, Washington, a spokesman said. Each unit costs approximately $67 million. According to the US Navy.
Former pilot and Top Gun instructor Dave Berke told CBS News that the planes were flying “at very low altitude and relatively slow speeds” when the crash occurred.
“The margin of error on this launch was incredibly small,” Berke said. “I think when this investigation is over, these four air crews will tell you that it was fortunate that they all walked away from this incident.”
The popular air show is a celebration of aviation history and a look at modern military capabilities and includes flight demonstrations and parachute jumps, according to event organizers. The U.S. Air Force’s flight demonstration squadron, the Thunderbirds, were scheduled to headline the show on both days.
