Video: US F-16 fighter jet crashes in California desert as Air Force pilot ejects safely | World News

The F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed around 10:45 a.m. during a training mission “over controlled airspace in California.” (Photo: X/ @Breaking911)

An F-16 fighter jet with the US Air Force Thunderbirds, which is the elite aerial demonstration unit, crashed in the southern California desert on Wednesday, but the pilot managed to eject safely moments before the impact, the US military said.

Moment F-16C fighter jet crashes near Trona Airport in California. https://t.co/ND38ddIP5B pic.twitter.com/knsgPCUFsY— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) December 3, 2025

The pilot is in stable condition and is being treated at a hospital for non-life threatening injuries, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department, AP reported.