F-16 plane crash near Traverse City; Evacuation order given, pilot in stable condition, officials say
(FOX 2) - Emergency services are responding to reports of a plane crash in Northern Michigan. According to the National Guard, the plane was an F-16 that originated from the Texas Air National Guard 149.
The area is now under a shelter in place order.
Military plane crash near Blair Township
What we know:
The crash was in Blair Township, which is southwest of Traverse City in Grand Traverse County. Acting emergency manager Brandon Perry confirmed that crews were at the scene of the crash, according to 9and10News.
According to the Texas Air National Guard, the F-16 is theirs and was part of a joint training mission. The pilot ejected before the crash and is in stable condition, the guard said.
The crash happened mid-afternoon on Thursday. Credit Shellie Doornbos.
Reports of a plane crash were heard on Grand Traverse 911, according to Broadcastify.
An evacuation order is now in effect for County Rd 633 from Jefferson Pl to Blair Township Rd, according to the county emergency management,
Chemical Spill
Michigan State Police say a hazardous chemical spill related to the plane crash prompted the evacuation order within a mile radius.
"All business and residential properties" in the area of County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Rd were evacuated.
Witness: 'I think his jet just crashed;
Local perspective:
Heather Fitzgerald was traveling with her husband when both saw the jet flying nearby in the community of Grawn, Michigan. She said her husband observed the jet was flying really low and really slow.
"I watched him cross over highway and I looked away for a minute and when I looked back and he was at the tree line and I saw him eject from the jet," Fitzgerald told FOX 2. "I saw the top fly off and the jet was gone and he was starting to come down and I went 'I think his jet just crashed.
Heather Fitzgerald saw the pilot eject from the plane before it crashed.
What is an F-16?
The F-16 is a military aircraft and one of the United States' primary air combat military jets
The U.S. Air Force describes its Fighting Falcon variant as a providing "relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system" for the country and allied nations.
It can fly more than 500 miles and works in all forms of weather.
"In designing the F-16, advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other aircraft such as the F-15 and F-111 were selected," reads the Air Force website. It's also built to withstand nine times the force of gravity.
It's built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
Where did the F-16 come from?
Dig deeper:
The F-16 originated from the 149th Fighter Wing, which is based in Texas. They have training bases in San Antonio, Texas.
The Source: The Michigan Air National Guard, the Texas Air National Guard, the Grand Traverse County Emergency Management, local news, and witnesses were cited for this story.