A U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon II supersonic jet trainer crashed Tuesday at noon in west Alabama, with both pilots ejecting safely, according to officials at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi.
Military officials described the incident as a “mishap” in a news release issued by the base, which is home to the 14th Flying Training Wing. The unit trains pilots on a variety of aircraft, including the T-38 Talon, a twin-engine supersonic jet that has served as the Air Force’s primary advanced trainer for decades.
“The cause of the mishap is currently unknown and will be investigated by a Safety Investigation Board,” the release stated. Safety investigation boards are standard Air Force practice following aviation accidents and are convened to determine the cause of an incident and recommend measures to prevent recurrence.
The base’s public affairs office declined to provide additional information about the pilots’ condition beyond confirming the ejection was successful. Military crash response protocols typically include medical evaluation of aircrew following an ejection, which subjects pilots to significant physical forces.
The crash occurred in west Alabama, a region that includes rural areas used for military training routes. Columbus Air Force Base sits just across the state line in eastern Mississippi, roughly 30 miles from the Alabama border, placing much of west Alabama within the base’s training airspace.
The T-38 Talon has been a mainstay of Air Force pilot training since entering service in the 1960s. The T-38 Talon II variant involved in Tuesday’s crash incorporates upgraded avionics and propulsion systems. The fleet has experienced periodic safety incidents over its decades of service, and the Air Force is currently in the process of replacing the T-38 with the new T-7A Red Hawk trainer, with initial operational capability expected in the coming years.