A U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon jet trainer assigned to Columbus Air Force Base has crashed in Alabama, with both pilots ejecting safely.
A U.S. Air Force T-38C Talon jet trainer has crashed in west Alabama for unknown reasons on May 12, 2026. The aircraft was assigned to the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.
The unit released an official statement, saying that both pilots were able to eject safely before the crash. A video recorded purportedly shows the two parachutes descending toward the ground.
According to Stars and Stripes, the aircraft crashed in rural Lamar County, Alabama, near the Mississippi border. The service also confirmed that the incident happened at approximately 12:00 pm local time.
NEW VIDEO of what appears to be the 2 airmen who parachuted out of a T-38 training aircraft over Fayette County, AL this afternoon.
Video courtesy: Mary Hancock pic.twitter.com/ELqiANhNoi— Jonathan Hardison (@WBRC6Hardison) May 12, 2026
The causes of the crash are currently unknown, and the Air Force said it will be investigated by a Safety Investigation Board. It is unclear if 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 U.S. Air Force and several other forces. The aircraft first flew in 1959 and was the first-ever supersonic trainer aircraft.
The Talon is used in the advanced phases of pilot training. In fact, following the T-6 phase, student pilots enter specialized track-specific training, depending on the type aircraft they’ve been selected to fly, with the T-38 being used for those bound for fighter and bomber aircraft.
Although questions about the safety of the aging T-38 Talon fleet have surfaced in the wake of accidents, 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 T-7A Redhawk advanced jet trainer built by Boeing.
Columbus Air Force Base is home to the USAF’s Flying Training Wing, which oversees the 52-week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) mission. The 49th Fighter Training Squadron, the “Black Knights,” and the 50th Flying Training Squadron, the “Strikin’ Snakes,” were assigned the T-38C Talon advanced jet trainer, with the latter deactivated last year.
Other squadrons within the 14th Operations Group – the 37th and 41st – operate the T-6A Texan II as part of the Air Force’s undergraduate pilot training pipeline. The base previously operated the T-1A Jayhawk, which was retired from Columbus AFB in 2026.
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