n a dramatic series of events that unfolded in mere minutes over the Alaskan wilderness, an Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon was forced into a rare emergency “flameout landing” after a mid-air collision with a flock of ducks.

The incident, which occurred on May 28, 2024, at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, highlights the ever-present threat of wildlife to military flight operations—even in the remote expanse of Alaska.

The birds in question? White-winged scoters—a migratory duck known for its velvety black feathers, striking white eye markings, and orange-tipped bill.

These northern waterfowl, typically found nesting in Canadian lakes, extend their migratory route into the river valleys of interior Alaska.

Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement

Image Credit: DoW

Unfortunately, that seasonal habit brought them directly into the path of four F-16Cs launching for a training exercise that day.

According to an Air Force accident report released this week, the jets—part of Eielson’s 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron—were set to engage in a simulated dogfight with F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson near Anchorage.

The mission also doubled as a performance evaluation for one of the F-16 pilots, designated mission commander for the sortie.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Taking off in 20-second intervals at full afterburner, the first jets may have startled the ducks into the air.

By the time the mission commander’s F-16 thundered down Runway 32, the ducks were directly in the flight path.

Several birds were struck; at least one was sucked into the jet’s engine—a catastrophic event known as an “ingestion.”

The engine immediately stalled. Flames erupted from the rear of the jet, witnessed by another pilot and ground observers. What could have ended in disaster became a textbook case of professionalism and calm under pressure.

Image Credit: DoW

The report praised the pilot’s response, noting he swiftly declared a “serious engine stall” over the radio and initiated emergency protocols.

Knowing his plane was too heavy to glide safely, he jettisoned his two 370-gallon under-wing fuel tanks.

“Stores are coming off here, does it look clear below?” he asked his wingman, who confirmed the skies and ground beneath them were free of civilians.

“You’re clear,” the wingman replied.

Now lighter and with the runway still in reach, the pilot turned back toward Eielson and prepared for a “flameout landing”—a maneuver specifically trained for engine-out emergencies following takeoff.

As he approached, another aircraft was landing.

Air traffic controllers promptly instructed that aircraft to clear the runway, allowing the crippled F-16 to safely touch down.

From the moment of impact to rolling off the runway, only three minutes had passed.

The aftermath, however, was anything but simple. Maintenance crews assessed the damage at nearly $1.3 million, including the two fuel tanks, each worth $50,000, which were destroyed on impact with the forest floor roughly a mile from the runway.

Image Credit: DoW

It took over a month for teams to excavate the fuel-contaminated soil from the remote crash site.

Eielson Air Force Base, surrounded by dense boreal forest and wetlands along the Nanana River, is no stranger to wildlife hazards. Its Bird and Wildlife Strike Hazard (BASH) program—operated by USDA wildlife experts—intensifies bird dispersal operations between April and September, coinciding with migratory patterns. But on the day of the accident, the base had set its Bird Watch Condition to “low,” and the scoters went undetected.

“Daily and seasonal wildlife movements of resident and migratory species present an enduring risk to operations at the base,” the report acknowledged.

Still, investigators cleared the pilot and base personnel of any fault, stating, “There is no evidence that the [pilot] or other base personnel could have taken reasonable actions to avert this collision.”

What could have ended in tragedy instead served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable risks military aviators face—even from a creature as seemingly benign as a duck.

Thanks to the pilot’s decisive actions and calm demeanor, the incident became a tale of skillful aviation under pressure rather than another accident headline.

As the Air Force continues to monitor and mitigate wildlife threats, one fact remains clear: in the high-stakes world of military aviation, even the natural world can pose serious hazards.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.