GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Residents forced from their homes after a Texas Air National Guard F-16 crashed south of Traverse City Thursday afternoon are being allowed to return, while the pilot who ejected from the fighter jet remains in stable condition at a local hospital, according to local media reports.
Grand Traverse County officials announced Thursday night that the evacuation order had been lifted and most roads were reopened. Some residents of the nearby Glacier Pond subdivision still face limited vehicle access while crews continue working at the crash site.
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A temporary shelter had been established at Kensington Church for people displaced by the one-mile evacuation zone. That shelter is now closed.
Pilot Found After Ejection
The F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, was flying a training mission from the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center when it crashed near County Road 633 and Jeffrey Place in Green Lake Township. The pilot successfully ejected before impact.
According to a report in Up North Live, local resident Benjamin Vyverberg said that he spotted the pilot’s parachute and went looking for him, eventually finding the pilot conscious after the ejection.
Vyverberg said the pilot was able to communicate and local dispatch found them both through the GPS in Vyverberg’s phone. The pilot was later transported to a local hospital, where officials said he is in stable condition.
Vyverberg said, “Whatever injuries he may or may not have sustained, I just want people to know that this guy is a hero because he could have crashed into Traverse City. He waited as long as he could, putting his own life at risk. The rescuers everyone was just so sharp and on point. It was really cool and kind of restores your faith in humanity to see everyone just kind of come together in a moment like this.”
Air traffic control recordings indicate the jet may have suffered a bird strike shortly before the pilot ejected, although the official cause remains under investigation.
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Hazardous Chemical Prompted Evacuation
Authorities initially ordered people to shelter indoors and close windows and vents before expanding the response to an evacuation within one mile of the crash. Michigan State Police said the crash resulted in a hazardous chemical spill which triggered the evacuation order.
Munson Healthcare said Munson Medical Center became the local decontamination site for first responders and residents potentially exposed to the chemical.
Munson advised that only people who were within one mile of the crash and are experiencing symptoms should seek medical evaluation. Those without symptoms should monitor themselves for coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing and seek care if symptoms develop.
The 149th Fighter Wing had been conducting training in northern Michigan. Following the crash, its flight operations were halted, and a planned flyover for Friday’s Alpena High School Valor Game was canceled.
The investigation into the crash continues.
