A Texas Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed in a residential area of Blair Township, just outside Traverse City, Michigan, on Thursday afternoon, triggering a hazardous-material evacuation after the jet's downed wreckage released toxic fuel vapors. The pilot ejected safely and was hospitalized in stable condition, and no one on the ground was hurt, but the chemical scare kept the surrounding neighborhood emptied for hours.

The aircraft, assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing's 182nd Fighter Squadron out of San Antonio, was flying a training mission out of the Air National Guard's Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena when it went down near County Road 633 and Blair Townhall Road, according to NBC News. Air traffic control audio suggests the jet may have struck a bird shortly before the pilot was forced to eject, though the cause remains under investigation.

Chemical scare spreads beyond the crash site

The bigger public-safety response centered on hydrazine, a highly toxic and corrosive chemical the Air Force uses as an emergency backup power source aboard the F-16. Grand Traverse County officials ordered an evacuation of homes and businesses within roughly a one-mile radius after the crash triggered what Michigan State Police described as a hazardous chemical spill, and Munson Healthcare set up an outdoor decontamination area to screen exposed residents and emergency crews, according to CBS News Detroit. Roughly 30 people, including several first responders, were evaluated for possible exposure. Health officials urged anyone within a mile of the site experiencing coughing, wheezing or breathing trouble to seek care.

"I hear a big boom, and then I see a colorful parachute and this guy floating down," witness Nicole Conrad told reporters.

Grand Traverse County Sheriff Michael Shea said the pilot was conscious and cooperative with authorities at the scene before being taken to a local hospital. A spokesperson for the 149th Fighter Wing confirmed the pilot ejected and is in stable condition. No homes were damaged and no civilians were injured, officials said, according to reporting from the Detroit News.

A shelter-in-place order along County Road 633 was upgraded to a full evacuation as crews assessed the hydrazine hazard, with displaced residents directed to a shelter set up at Kensington Church in Traverse City. The evacuation order was lifted by around 10 p.m. Thursday and most residents were allowed back into their homes, though residents of the nearby Glacier Pond subdivision remained temporarily unable to return.

The Texas Military Department said the incident remains under investigation, standard procedure for any military aircraft mishap. Air Force safety investigators are expected to examine flight data, the possible bird strike, and the mechanical failure that led to the ejection, with a preliminary report typically taking weeks. The 149th Fighter Wing's aircraft were training in Michigan as part of a broader exercise rotation through the Alpena readiness center; officials have not said whether that training will be paused pending the investigation's findings.