An F-16C Fighting Falcon from the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds crashed near Trona, California during a routine training mission — but the pilot ejected just seconds before impact. The jet hit a dry lake bed and erupted into a fireball, but the pilot survived with non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital. Emergency crews quickly contained the blaze as investigators began determining what caused the crash. A near-disaster turned into a remarkable escape. | Military Mechanics