Two EA-18G Growlers from the Growler Demo Team collided mid-air during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. All four crew members ejected.
Two EA-18G Growlers of the Growler Demonstration Team of the VAQ-129 “Vikings” crashed after being involved in a mid-air collision during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. A video apparently showing the incident shows the four crew members of the two aircraft ejecting.
2 E/A-18G Growlers from the VAQ-129 Growler Demo Team are reported to have collided during the Gunfighter Skies Airshow at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho today. Both crews are reported to have ejected safely. pic.twitter.com/k5SWJ9mz1u
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) May 17, 2026
Photographer Shane Odgen managed to film the entire sequence of the collision and subsequent ejections. He posted the video on Facebook here, the clip was later widely circulated online.
Footage of the mid air collision between a pair of Navy Super Hornets/Growlers during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base moments ago. pic.twitter.com/yQqPavmSWk
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) May 17, 2026
The kinematics of the mid-air collision are almost incredible. The video of the incident appears to show the two EA-18G Growlers coming into very close proximity during the display. As they converge, the lead aircraft appears to turn, resulting in apparent contact. Both aircraft then seem to pitch up or abruptly increase their angle of attack. The jets subsequently appear to depart controlled flight and begin losing altitude, looking almost entangled for a moment, although this impression may be partly due to lens compression, perspective and video distortion. Shortly afterward, the crew members eject.
A sequence of photographs show the two Growlers and the crew members right after the ejection.
Photo sequence right after the ejection. Our good friend Henk Zuurbier was at the show today at Mountain Home AFB, ID. Wow! pic.twitter.com/7I9LaoxyLr
— RampCheck Aviation (@rampcheckglobal) May 17, 2026
We took screenshots of the ejection sequence from video captured by Shane Ogden. The jets remained entangled all the way to the ground. The crew in the lower jet appears incredibly fortunate, as the upper jet was not directly over their canopy. This could have ended much worse.… pic.twitter.com/D924hbrqpG
— RampCheck Aviation (@rampcheckglobal) May 17, 2026
The two aircraft were identified as being EA-18G 168895 “NJ-502” and EA-18G 168252 “NJ-540”.
The collision looks to have been involving EA-18G 168895 “NJ-502” and EA-18G 168252 “NJ-540”.#AE53C5 / #AE2F0D https://t.co/JYtk4cnIaC
— Nick ✈︎ (@N214WN) May 17, 2026
Mid-air collision of two U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers (BuNo 168252 and 168895). Steel balls, crews waited about 5 seconds before ejecting! https://t.co/Gni9miqP2D pic.twitter.com/Ll2l774AUW
— The Military Watch (@MarcinRogowsk14) May 17, 2026
The airshow was halted and the remainder of it cancelled after the incident, which occurred 2 miles to the northwest of the base.
The U.S. Navy stood up the EA-18G Growler Demo Team at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington in 2020. The team is made up of crews and aircraft from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ-129), also known as “Vikings”, which is the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) that is in charge of the training of all naval aviators that will fly the Boeing EA-18G Growler.
Until today’s accident, the Vikings operated a fleet of 55 EA-18G Growlers according to their official website.
This is a developing story we will update it as more details emerge.
