A US F-16 fighter jet crashed and caught fire during a training exercise in Michigan on Thursday afternoon, with the pilot safely ejecting before the aircraft went down, according to Michigan State Police.
The crash occurred in Grand Traverse County near a residential area. Video from the scene showed a large fireball followed by a thick column of black smoke rising into the sky.
Before the crash, the pilot of another aircraft accompanying the F-16 alerted air traffic controllers to a possible problem with the fighter jet. Audio recorded by LiveATC.net indicated that the aircraft may have struck a bird.
An air traffic control official said the F-16 may have experienced an engine problem and confirmed that the pilot had ejected from the aircraft.
Michigan State Police said the F-16 was carrying only one pilot, who managed to eject safely before the crash. He was taken to a local hospital and was reported to be in stable condition. No one else was injured.
The Associated Press reported that the aircraft was participating in a training exercise linked to a National Guard base in the Alpena area of Michigan.
Authorities evacuated residents within a one-mile radius of the crash site as a precaution over concerns that hazardous chemicals from the aircraft could have been released. Most residents were allowed to return home by 10 p.m. Thursday.
The cause of the crash, including the nature of any possible engine malfunction, remains under investigation.
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