Overview
- The T-38C linked to Columbus Air Force Base experienced a mishap Tuesday around noon, and both airmen ejected before the jet went down in rural Lamar County, Alabama.
- Emergency crews from Fayette and Lamar counties responded near the Mississippi border as eyewitness video showed two parachutes and reporters said both airmen were taken for evaluation.
- Columbus AFB said the cause is unknown, and a Safety Investigation Board is now examining what led to the crash.
- The jet was assigned to the base’s 14th Flying Training Wing, which runs advanced pilot training, and officials have not released the exact crash site or detailed conditions of the crew.
- The Northrop T-38 has trained U.S. Air Force pilots since the 1960s and is slated to be replaced by the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk beginning in 2027.