F-16 crash during Michigan training exercise

A US Air Force F-16 crashed and burst into flames Thursday afternoon in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, during a training exercise flown out of the Alpena National Guard base, with the pilot ejecting safely. Air traffic control audio captured a 'possible mayday' call suggesting the jet may have struck a bird before going down; a controller relayed that the aircraft appeared to have lost an engine. Residents near the crash site described a loud explosion and a large plume of black smoke rising from a field close to homes, with debris visible on the ground. The pilot, assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing, was taken to a local hospital for treatment.