Watch: Video shows new angle of Mountain Home military air show crash
Video footage taken by a man outside the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Elmore County shows a new angle of the midair collision that destroyed two fighter jets Sunday.
Joseph C. confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that he filmed the crash and posted it on his YouTube account.
In the video, the two fighter jets are seen moving closer together and eventually colliding. The planes seem to spin while somewhat locked together for a moment, before plunging to the ground and bursting into flames.
Those in the video can be heard expressing concern, then relief, as four parachutes open and the crew drift down, having escaped.
“There’s four parachutes,” someone can be heard saying. “They’re OK, they’re OK. They all ejected. It’s OK.”
The collision occurred at about 12:10 p.m. Sunday during a Gunfighter Skies aerial performance involving two E/A-18G Growler aircraft flown by four air crew from the Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129 demo team from Whidbey Island in Washington state, according to a Mountain Home Air Force Base 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office news release.
Three of the airmen came out of the collision without any injuries, Commander Amelia Umayam, a spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, told the Idaho Statesman in an email. Umayam said the fourth member was receiving treatment at a Boise-area hospital for a non-life-threatening injury.
“We are grateful to the first responders for the teamwork and care they provided,” Umayam said.
Another video of the crash taken by a Meridian man outside the base went viral, quickly garnering millions of views.
The aircraft crashed onto Grand View Highway, also known as Idaho 167, causing Elmore County to quickly close the roadway. Grand View Highway was slated to remain closed between South Simco Road and Airbase Road for “several days” while officials conducted an investigation, the Mountain Home Air Force Base said in a news release.
The collision happened on the second day of the air show’s return, which was held to help celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday this year. About two hours after the crash, the rest of Sunday’s event was canceled.
The weekend marked the first Gunfighter Skies air show in eight years. At the 2018 event, a hang glider pilot died in an accident. In 2003, a Thunderbird crashed during an air show but the pilot was able to eject safely.
