A U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon trainer aircraft stationed at Columbus Air Force Base crashed in Alabama, with both pilots ejecting safely.
A U.S. Air Force T-38C Talon jet trainer crashed in western Alabama for unknown reasons on May 12, 2026. The aircraft was assigned to the 14th Flight Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.
The force issued an official statement saying both pilots were able to eject safely before the crash. The recorded video reportedly shows two parachutes descending toward the ground.
According to Old GloryThe aircraft crashed in rural Lamar County, Alabama, near the Mississippi border. Police also confirmed that the incident occurred around 12 noon local time.
New video of two Airmen parachuting from a T-38 trainer aircraft over Fayette County, Alabama this afternoon.
Video credit: Mary Hancock pic.twitter.com/ELqiANhNoi— Jonathan Hardison (@WBRC6Hardison) May 12, 2026
The cause of the crash is currently unknown, and the Air Force said it will be investigated by a safety investigation board. It is unclear whether the pilots declared an emergency before the crash.
background
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twin-engine, supersonic advanced jet training aircraft used by the United States Air Force and several other military services. The aircraft first flew in 1959 and was the first supersonic trainer aircraft.
Talon is used in the advanced stages of pilot training. In practice, after the T-6 stage, student pilots enter specialized track-specific training depending on the type of aircraft they choose to fly, with the T-38 being used for fighter and bomber aircraft.
Although the accident has raised questions about the safety of the aging T-38 Talon fleet, the aircraft has continued to serve as an advanced jet trainer. The T-38 is nearing retirement from active USAF trainer service and will be replaced by the new Boeing-built T-7A Redhawk advanced jet trainer.
Columbus Air Force Base is home to the USAF’s Flight Training Wing, which oversees the 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) mission. The T-38C Talon advanced trainer was deployed to the 49th Combat Training Squadron ‘Black Knights’ and the 50th Flight Training Squadron ‘Strikin Snakes’, the latter of which was deactivated last year.
Other squadrons (37th and 41st) within the 14th Operations Group operate the T-6A Texan II as part of the Air Force undergraduate pilot training pipeline. The base previously operated the T-1A Jayhawk, which was retired from Columbus Air Force Base in 2026.
