Thunderbirds F-16 Crashes in Mojave Desert, Pilot Safe

A U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter jet crashed during a routine training mission over the Mojave Desert in Southern California on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, but the pilot ejected safely and sustained only non-life-threatening injuries.

The incident occurred around 10:45 a.m. in controlled military airspace near Trona, an unincorporated community about 180 miles north of Los Angeles. The aircraft struck a dry lake bed south of Trona Airport, producing a plume of smoke and a sonic boom audible for miles in the remote area. Witnesses reported seeing the jet engulfed in flames just before the pilot's parachute deployed. The sole occupant was treated at a nearby hospital and remained in stable condition, according to Air Force officials.

San Bernardino County Fire Department units responded around 11:10 a.m. to the site near the San Bernardino-Inyo county line, assisting emergency personnel from Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in extinguishing the fire. The Air Force confirmed the pilot avoided serious harm, an outcome that officials noted is not always assured in high-velocity ejections. No other injuries were reported, and the crash site was in an...