Two EA-18G Growlers assigned to the Navy’s Growler Demo Team collided mid-air on May 17 during the Gunfighter Skies Air Show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho — the first known collision in the team’s history. All four crew members ejected successfully. Three walked away unharmed; one was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The collision happened at approximately 12:10 p.m. MDT, roughly two miles northwest of the base. A crowd had gathered for the two-day public air show hosted by the 366th Fighter Wing when spectator video captured what followed: the trailing Growler closing on the lead aircraft from behind and above, striking its rear section nose-first. The two jets briefly became entangled, pitched nose up, then down, and began to tumble. Within five seconds of impact, all four ejection seats had fired. Four parachutes opened as the aircraft spiraled into the ground and caught fire. The fire was subsequently contained.
The aircraft involved were identified as EA-18G 168895 “NJ-502” and EA-18G 168252 “NJ-540”, both from VAQ-129 “Vikings” at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. VAQ-129 is the Navy’s sole EA-18G Fleet Replacement Squadron — responsible for training every Growler pilot and electronic warfare officer in the force. The Growler Demo Team flies two-jet displays and was stood up from VAQ-129 in 2020. According to the team’s Instagram channel, the 2026 season crew included Team Captain Lt. Kevin “Lil Sebastian” Lynch, Lt. Abigail “Wrecking Ball” White, Lt. Hardy “MyDal” Davis, and Lt. Nick “Alf” Eckhardt.
“On May 17, 2026, two U.S. Navy EA-18Gs assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 from Whidbey Island, Washington collided mid-air while performing an aerial demonstration… All four of the air crew successfully ejected and they are being evaluated by medical personnel.” — Cmdr. Amelia Umayam, spokesperson, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet
“First and foremost, we are incredibly thankful that everyone involved in today’s incident is safe. The extraordinary professionalism of our emergency response teams… allowed for quick response to the aircrew as well as securing the scene.” — Col. David Gunter, Commander, 366th Fighter Wing
That everyone survived is being called remarkable. Former F-35 senior test pilot Billie Flynn described the outcome as “astonishing considering the way the airplanes impacted each other — incomprehensible even.” The Martin-Baker ejection seats fitted to the F/A-18 family — including the Growler — are certified to function at zero altitude and zero airspeed, a capability that almost certainly saved lives here. Low-altitude, low-speed maneuvers are precisely the conditions that stress ejection systems hardest.
Former Navy F/A-18 pilot Guy Snodgrass noted in his analysis that video appeared to show one aircraft lodged nearly on top of the second, its fuselage covering the lower jet’s cockpit. Flynn suggested, based on what videos show, that the likely cause was a failed rejoin — the crews appearing to line up wing tip to wing tip but failing to safely complete the formation maneuver. The War Zone noted that the lead Growler may have been in the trailing aircraft’s under-nose blind spot just before impact.
Strategic Losses Worth Noting
The human toll was mercifully low. The material toll is another matter. Boeing permanently closed the Growler production line with no follow-on program authorized. Confirmed inventory stands at approximately 160 aircraft as of April 2025 DoD budget documents. Flynn was blunt: “These are invaluable national assets. There is no newer version of these — they are a very special, very powerful electronic warfare platform, and there’s never enough of them. And now we’ve lost two.” EA-18Gs from VAQ-142 were flying active SEAD combat missions against Iran’s air defense network as recently as February 2026 under Operation Epic Fury.
Mountain Home AFB placed the installation on lockdown following the incident and canceled the remainder of the air show. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, scheduled as the closing act for both days, did not perform. The Navy has convened a formal investigation — and given the total destruction of both aircraft, this will be treated as a Class A mishap requiring a full Aircraft Mishap Board.
We’ll continue to monitor the investigation and update as the Navy releases findings.
Sources
- The Aviationist — EA-18G Growler Mid-Air Collision Coverage
- GlobalAir.com — Gunfighter Skies Air Show Incident Report
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