GREEN LAKE TOWNSHIP, MI — A Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashed during a training mission Thursday afternoon, sending up a large plume of black smoke and forcing authorities to evacuate nearby homes and businesses for hours. Officials said the pilot managed to eject from the jet and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The crash happened shortly before 2 p.m. ET in Green Lake Township. Michigan State Police said the evacuation covered properties within 1 mile of the wreckage because of a hazardous chemical spill tied to the plane crash. No other injuries were reported, and the evacuation order was lifted later in the evening.
Pilot ejects and is taken to hospital after the crash
The Texas Military Department said the F-16 Fighting Falcon was on a routine training mission out of the Air National Guard’s Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Michigan, when it experienced an incident. The pilot successfully ejected before the aircraft went down.
Grand Traverse Sheriff Michael Shea said during a press briefing that the pilot was conscious and speaking with law enforcement after being transported to an area hospital. Officials did not immediately release the pilot’s name, and they did not provide additional details about the extent of the injuries.
Evacuation order covered homes and businesses within one mile
Michigan State Police said the evacuation zone was created because of the hazardous chemical spill associated with the crash. The order affected homes and businesses within 1 mile of the site, reflecting concerns about conditions around the wreckage while responders worked the scene.
The evacuation remained in place for much of the afternoon and evening. At about 9:45 p.m. Thursday, state police said the order was lifted. Authorities did not say what specific material spilled, but the response was treated as a safety issue for people living and working nearby.
Smoke was visible as responders secured the crash scene
A large black plume of smoke could be seen after the jet hit the ground, underscoring the scale of the emergency response. Local and state officials worked near the site as the crash scene was secured and nearby residents were kept away from the area.
The crash drew attention because it involved a military training aircraft operating in a populated area. Officials did not say what caused the plane to go down, and no explanation was immediately available for the incident that triggered the emergency response.
Training flights in Michigan were halted after the incident
All Texas Air National Guard aircraft that were in Michigan for the training were immediately grounded, according to a U.S. official. Those aircraft are expected to remain grounded for at least the next 24 hours while authorities and military officials assess the situation.
The grounding shows how quickly a single accident can disrupt a scheduled training operation. For now, the focus remains on the pilot’s recovery, the condition of the crash site, and the investigation into what happened during the mission.
What officials said about the response and next steps
State and local authorities gave limited early details but confirmed the key points of the response: the pilot ejected, no one else was hurt, and the evacuation eventually ended Thursday night. The hospital where the pilot was taken has not been named publicly.
The Texas Military Department and Michigan authorities have not said whether investigators have identified a cause. With the aircraft grounded and the crash site secured, the next phase is likely to center on a review of the jet, the training operation, and the circumstances that led to the incident.
