During Sunday’s Gunfighter Skies air show, two Navy EA‑18G Growler jets from Electronic Attack Squadron 129 collided over Mountain Home Air Force Base. The mishap forced all four crew members to eject; each parachute opened safely and medical teams assessed them on the ground. No spectators or base personnel were injured, and the base went into lockdown while investigators arrived. Emergency crews secured the site quickly.

Gunfighter Skies marked the first major show at the installation since 2018, a year remembered for a fatal hang‑glider crash. While the 2022 Dallas collision claimed six lives, the industry has cut average annual fatalities to roughly one over the past decade. Weather that day showed clear visibility with gusts up to 29 mph, conditions that normally support safe aerobatics.

Organizers halted the remainder of the demonstration and closed SH‑167 between Simco Road and SH‑67 for the multi‑day investigation. Officials praised the crew’s successful egress and the rapid response that kept the incident from becoming a tragedy. The crash underscores the inherent risk of high‑performance military displays, even under optimal conditions, and ensured no further hazards.