U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16CM-52-CF Fighting Falcon Thunderbird #5 crashed south of Trona Airport (TRH/L72), Trona, California. The pilot ejected safely, and the aircraft was destroyed.
The fire department said, “The pilot suffered non-life-threatening injuries. They also reported a fire stemming from the downed aircraft but said there was no threat to the surrounding vegetation or the community.”
Videos posted to social media show the F-16 crashing with the pilot ejecting. The pilot was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds account posted on X, “On December 3, 2025, at approximately 10:45 a.m., a Thunderbird pilot ejected safely from a F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft during a training mission over controlled airspace in California. The pilot is in stable condition and receiving follow-on care. The incident is under investigation, and further information will be released from the 57th Wing Public Affairs Office.”
The Air Force offered no additional details Wednesday about what led to the crash. An investigation into the crash is now underway.
The 57th Wing, based at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, is one of the Air Force’s premier training and tactics units, responsible for preparing combat-ready forces and developing advanced air combat doctrine. The wing oversees a wide range of operations, including the famed Weapons School, which provides elite tactical training to pilots, intelligence officers, and other specialists.
The non-fatal crash in California follows a series of more catastrophic safety incidents involving military flight demonstration teams around the world in recent months.
In November, an Indian air force demonstration pilot was killed at the Dubai air show while performing an aerobatic display in a Hindustan Aeronautics Tejas light fighter.