A ride-along passenger in a US Air National Guard F-15D Eagle appears to have unintentionally ejected from the aircraft while it was taxiing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts.
In footage posted on social media, the two-seat fighter can be seen rolling along the taxiway with a puff of smoke rising from the rear cockpit. The canopy, blown off during the ejection sequence, lands across the jet’s left wing. The rear-seat occupant is visible on the ground near what appears to be a deployed parachute, as the F-15 continues to taxi past.
According to an unverified post on the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, the passenger was a member of the 104th Fighter Wing, which operates the F-15C/D Eagle, and was reportedly on an “incentive flight,” a ride often offered to non-pilot personnel as a reward or morale-building activity. The US Air National Guard has not confirmed the identity of the passenger or their condition.
Barnes Air National Guard Base shares facilities with Westfield–Barnes Regional Airport in Massachusetts. Established in 1923, the site has hosted the Massachusetts Air National Guard since 1946 and is home to the 104th Fighter Wing, nicknamed the “Barnestormers.” The unit operates F-15C/D Eagles on 24/7 Air Control Alert missions to protect the northeastern United States and is scheduled to transition to the F-35A Lightning II by 2026.
Ejecting at “zero-zero”
Modern ejection seats, such as the McDonnell Douglas ACES II fitted to the F-15, are designed to function at “zero-zero” conditions, no altitude and little to no forward speed, but such procedures remain inherently risky. Accidental ground ejections are rare and can result in serious injury.
The incident bears similarities to a 2019 case in France, when a civilian passenger in a French Air Force Rafale B inadvertently activated the ejection handle during take-off from Saint-Dizier Air Base. In that case, the French investigation bureau for State aviation safety (BEA-E) found a combination of passenger unpreparedness, procedural lapses, and technical issues. The Rafale’s pilot narrowly avoided being ejected himself due to a malfunction in the seat sequencing system, which allowed him to land the aircraft safely.
In 2021, three crewmembers of a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber were killed when their ejection seats activated during pre-flight checks at Shaykovka Air Base. At such low altitude, their parachutes could not deploy in time.
The Massachusetts incident is expected to prompt a formal investigation to determine how the ejection handle was triggered and whether any procedural or technical factors contributed. Incentive flights typically involve detailed safety briefings and cockpit familiarization to reduce the risk of mishandling controls.
AeroTime has contacted the 104th Fighter Wing for comment on the incident.
In a statement to AeroTime, the 104th Fighter Wing confirmed that a “ground mishap involving an F-15D Eagle aircraft and two members of the 104th Fighter Wing” occurred at approximately 14:05 local time on August 12, 2025. One service member was transported to a local hospital for evaluation as a precaution, and the other was released from the scene with no injuries. “Neither service member sustained any injuries as a result of the incident,” the wing added.
The 104th Fighter Wing said it initiated a 36-hour safety standdown of all flight operations following the mishap, which have since resumed. The incident remains under investigation, and the identity of those involved will be withheld until the official investigation is complete.
12 comments
This story made my day. I hope he’s okay. Will he EVER EVER NEVER live this down?
What part of sit still and don’t touch anything did he not understand
Flashback of Willow Grove NAS, summer of 1980. A kid in a Tomcat was a bad combo.
He grab the wrong handle? Check for fingerprints 😂
This sounds like someone didn’t pay attention. I received a flight like this in an F100F.in 1962. A large part of the day before flight was consumed on education about the planes ejection system.
Welp thanks alot for ruining peoples chance in flying in a fighter jet.This should go down in history books as the single most should be darwin award their is that flagged future freedoms for people getting the experience.
This is very difficult to do accidentally! It’s a good thing the eject select handle in the aft cockpit was not in Aft initiate.
He’ll be ok. A little bit embarrassed, but that’s normal after premature ejection.
TOO FUNNY, I flew helicopters for the Army. Guess they couldn’t wait to get out!!!
As a former USAF combat pilot this is hard to do unintentionally. You have to physically activate the trigger or arming handle. Besides that these types of flights should be rare. Incentive flights for nonflying,personnel should not be permitted at all. While I have little problem with members of the media getting a flight it needs to be done with the purpose of promoting the mission.
As a former “Eagle Keeper”, K Johnson, I am not sure that your comment is logical regarding “Incentive flights for nonflying, personnel should not be permitted…” Especially since you have “little problem with members of the media getting a flight it needs to be done with the purpose of promoting the mission.” Incentive flight have always been about promoting the mission for those in maintenance and other supportive personnel (i.e., moral and retention building). It’s unfortunate that this happened, but it could have also happened with a media representative.
Dang–
Well, this is the reason why our military doesn’t want to allow civilians (non aviators) in military jets
You’ve got people doing stupid stuff.
Thanks goofy, You’ve screwed it for the rest of us.
I got to fly a Belarusian SU-30, as they allow people to pay for a flight, but when dim-wits do stuff like this…they will soon stop this.
One person can ruin it for everybody.