Two Navy EA-18G Growlers Collide Mid-Air at Idaho Airshow; All Four Crew Eject Safely

Two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 129, based at Whidbey Island, collided during an aerial demonstration at the Gunfighter Skies airshow at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. All four crew members ejected and were evaluated by medical personnel, with no injuries reported on the ground. Spectator video shows the aircraft making contact, spinning together, and exploding on impact as parachutes deployed overhead.

The base was briefly locked down and SH-167 near the installation is expected to remain closed for several days during the investigation. This was the first Gunfighter Skies event since 2018 and was headlined by the Air Force Thunderbirds. Industry figures noted that U.S. airshow fatalities have trended downward over the past decade, with no deaths recorded in 2024 or 2025 prior to this incident, which itself produced no fatalities.