F-16 Jet Drops Fuel Tanks During Emergency Incident Over Michigan, One Explodes in Lake Huron

F-16 fighter jets are seen in a file photo. Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters

An F-16 fighter jet suffered an emergency while flying over Michigan and was forced to drop two fuel tanks, including one that exploded in Lake Huron, both local and U.S. military officials confirmed.

The jet, which was operated by the Ohio Air National Guard, landed safely in Todelo, Ohio, after the incident, said the Iosco County Sheriff’s Office in a news release on July31. It was flying with another F-16, both with the 180th Fighter Squadron.

“One of those F-16’s declared an emergency and dumped two external fuel tanks full of jet fuel,” the release said. “One of those tanks landed north of Baldwin Resort Road in Lake Huron and exploded.”

The second dropped tank landed in a parking lot in Tawas, Michigan, which includes a Tractor Supply, Sav-A-Lot, and other retailers, said the release.

No injuries on the ground were reported, and “only minor damage” to several vehicles was confirmed, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office called for a water rescue team after it received an emergency-related call because it was not clear whether the plane or a pilot had ejected into Lake Huron.

No plane or pilots ended up in the water, the office said, adding that the U.S. Coast Guard recovered a portion of the suspected fuel tank that was dropped into Lake Huron.

“Divers were never deployed but were available on the water depending on what was found during the search,” the office said.

Photos taken by the Iosco County Sheriff’s Office that were published online show what appears to be a tank in the lake as well as fragments of the other tank in the other parking lot.

A statement released by the Ohio Air National Guard on Thursday blamed the incident on a “fuel tank malfunction” that occurred during what it called a “routine training mission” near Lake Huron about 220 miles north of its base.

The second fuel tank “came apart” midair, causing fragments of the tank to land in the Tawas parking lot, it said.

“Both fuel tanks have been recovered and there are no immediate safety concerns to those in the area,” the statement added. “We will conduct an investigation to determine cause of the in-flight emergency.”

Businesses and residents who suffered property or building damage can file a claim with the 88th Air Base Wing at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, it said.

The Air Force’s Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Michigan released a separate statement on Thursday saying it “rapidly responded to the incident helping local fire and police departments secure the area and minimize impact to the environment” after the tanks were dropped.

“Unfortunately, a portion of a parking lot was affected and will remain closed until remediation efforts are completed. But we are happy to report that all affected businesses in the area were able to re-open this morning,” the statement said.

It’s not the first time an F-16 with the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard suffered an in-air emergency in recent years.

In September 2023, an F-16 jet that was part of the same division was also forced to abandon two fuel tanks as it was en route to the Toledo Express Airport, officials told local media outlets at the time. Both fuel tanks were recovered soon after the incident, which had also prompted the temporary closure of the airport.

And in March 2024, an F-16 with the 180th Fighter Wing “suffered a runway excursion during landing” at the Toledo Express Airport following an in-flight emergency incident in which the nose landing equipment “collapsed,” according to a bulletin posted at the time by the Aviation Safety Network. No injuries were reported in either recent incident.