On Wednesday, a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot safely ejected from an F-16C during a training exercise in California. The aviator is in stable condition, as reported by the 57th Wing, while authorities commence a thorough investigation into the crash.
In a social media statement, the Thunderbirds detailed the incident: “On December 3, 2025, at around 10:45 a.m., a Thunderbird pilot successfully ejected from an F-16C Fighting Falcon over controlled airspace in California during a training mission. The pilot is stable and receiving further medical care. The cause of the incident is being scrutinized, with updates to follow from the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office.”
According to San Bernardino County Fire officials on X, emergency units were dispatched at approximately 11:10 a.m. following reports of an aircraft emergency near the border of San Bernardino and Inyo counties.
Upon arrival, the crews collaborated with emergency personnel from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake to extinguish a blaze from the crashed aircraft, which landed in a dry lakebed close to Trona.
The pilot, who was the only person on board, was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening and transported to a local hospital for further care.
The Air Force Thunderbirds had recently performed at the 2024 Legacy of Liberty Airshow at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. (Photo by Bill Chizek, Getty Images)
The Thunderbirds, stationed at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, are the Air Force’s premier aerial demonstration team and perform some of the service’s most demanding precision maneuvers.
The squadron flies F-16C Fighting Falcons in tightly choreographed formations that require year-round training and extensive flight hours to maintain.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform a flyover prior to the start of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, Feb. 19, 2023, in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Pilots are drawn from operational fighter squadrons and often have combat experience before joining the unit.
They serve two-year tours on the demonstration team before returning to active fighter assignments, and their annual schedule includes dozens of air show performances across the country as part of the Air Force’s recruitment and community outreach mission.
The Thunderbirds have experienced mishaps during training in the past, including a 2018 crash near Nellis Air Force Base that killed Maj. Stephen Del Bagno during a routine training flight.
Fox News Digital previously reported that the Air Force conducted a safety review following the incident, which highlighted how the high-speed, high-G nature of the team’s routines carries inherent risk even in controlled environments.
