T-38 Talon flight operations halted fleetwide amid crash investigation

After a T-38 Talon training flight mishap last week caused two pilots to safely eject and the aircraft to crash, the U.S. Air Force is implementing a fleetwide operational pause for all T-38 Talon aircraft.

On May 12, a T-38 Talon II aircraft from Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, was involved in a mishap, according to a base release. The crash occurred in a rural area of Lamar County, Alabama, with the cause is still unknown. An investigation is set to be completed by a Safety Investigation Board.

Almost a week after the T-38 accident, two Navy E/A-18G Growler jets collided mid-air on Sunday during an air show near Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. The four crew members involved ejected safely, and the crash is under investigation.

The Air Force says the service is acting out of an “abundance of caution,” according to a Tuesday release. The halt in flight operations is meant to give the safety board the ability to locate and assess evidence from the accident.

“The pause ensures the continued safety of Air Force personnel and equipment involved in flying T-38 operations while the investigation progresses,” the release reads.

It also notes that the length of the pause is undetermined as engineering analysis and an inspection process is needed before clearing the aircraft for a safe return to flight. Inspections are slated to begin this week.

Once the inspection process and any maintenance actions are completed, individual aircraft can resume flying operations.

Units impacted by this pause are across Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Global Strike Command, the statement says.

The T-38 Talon, which was introduced in the 1960s, is primarily used by Air Education and Training Command for joint specialized undergraduate pilot training.

While the aircraft’s flying operations are paused, aircrews are going to utilize simulator training as impacted major commands work to alleviate stress on operations, training and readiness, per the release.

Last week’s incident is not the only T-38 accident seen in recent years. In early November 2022, a T-38C crashed around 20 miles outside of the Columbus base and forced the pilot to eject safely, while sustaining non life-threatening injuries.

Then just two weeks later, another T-38C experienced an in-flight emergency that caused the aircraft to land gear-up.

By 2027, the Air Force hopes to achieve Initial Operating Capability for the T-7A Red Hawk, which is meant to phase out the T-38C Talon for pilot training. The force allowed for production of the T-7As to begin in April 2026.